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Social monogamy and parental care in bees of the genus Ceratina
Mikát, Michael ; Straka, Jakub (advisor) ; Bryja, Josef (referee)
Parental care is one of the most successful strategies for providing offspring survival. There are differences in type of care between taxa. There are biparental care, maternal care, paternal care and alloparental care. Bees of the genus Ceratina are suitable model taxon for study of parental care evolution. There is a long time known maternal care and eusociality, in this genus. A species of the genus Ceratina, which has biparental care, is introduced in this thesis. Field experiments were performed from 2011 to 2013 in Podyjí National Park, especially in locality Havraníky heath. Four model species, which are occurring in the Czech Republic, were selected: C. chalybea, C. cucurbitina, C. cyanea and C. nigrolabiata. Artificial nesting opportunities were installed to the field site. Relationship between individuals in nests of C. nigrolabiata was examined by newly developed microsatellite loci. All studied species are solitary in nesting behavior. Their nest structure and nesting phenology is described. Guarding of full brood nest to adulthood of offspring is characteristic behavioral trait for Ceratina bees. This guarding is essential for offspring survival. Experimental nests with removed mother often failed by ant predation, parasitation by chalcid wasp and nest usurpation by other individuals of the...
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