关键词:  , 凹唇壁蜂, 飞行能力, 体重, 取食, 传粉, 吊飞

Abstract: The osmia bees of Osmia excavata Alfken are extensively used for pollination of fruit trees. Flight capacity is one of the important determinants of their pollination efficiency. This study evaluated the effects of body weight and feeding behavior of adult O. excavata on their flight capacity using tethered flight test. The results showed that female bees were significantly heavier (116.30 mg per female) than males (59.80 mg per male), and their flight speed (3.44 km/h) was also significantly higher than males (2.36 km/h) (P<0.001). The flight distance and maximum flight speed of the male bees were positively correlated with their body weight. Female bees showed positive correlation between their body weight and flight duration, but their average flight speed was negatively correlated with body weight. The average flight distance of female adults of O. excavata was 0.23 km/h, and the bees were considered as central foragers because they returned to their nests several times in a day with pollen to nourish their brood cells. So, we recommend that the foraging distance of O. excavata in the field may be less than 100 m. O. excavata showed longer flight distance and flight duration, and also higher maximum flight  speed if they fed on honey or pollen. Thus, we recommend that the bees used for pollination should be provided with food following emergence. The results elucidate the fly capacity of female and male adults of O. excavata, and the promotion of fly capacity by food supplement after cocoon break. This stduy provides a theorntical basis for exploiting pollination efficiency in the osmia bees.

Key words: Osmia excavata, flight capacity, body weight, feeding, pollination, tethered flight