• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Entomolohy Conference
• /
• 2003.10a
• /
• pp.107-107
• /
• 2003

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.46 no.1 s.145
• /
• pp.123-129
• /
• 2007

An artificial insemination instrument of bumblebee queens was firstly developed. This instrument consists of location tube, transfer tube, holding tube, head product, and probe apparatus for reproductive tract etc. This instrument was designed to minimize stress and damage of reproductive tract of bumblebee queens. The regulator handle apparatus in artificial insemination instrument was used the principle of lever, that manipulates easy, accurate and rapid insemination of bumblebee queens. By using this instrument, the insemination rate was over 90%. This instrument will be useful for the breeding and conservation of excellent character of bumblebees.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.49 no.1
• /
• pp.49-55
• /
• 2010

Bumblebees are widely used to pollinate crops in greenhouses and fields. Here we firstly developed an apparatus for the oviposition induction of the bumblebee Bombus ignitus using electricity. The apparatus consists of boxes for colony initiation, part of temperature control, part of heat transfer, and moving shelf. The result shows that the rates of oviposition and colony foundation in the newly developed apparatus are respectively 3.9% and 5.2% higher than in the existing apparatus using hot water. More importantly, the newly developed apparatus is 75% cheaper in costs and can more save energy than existing apparatus. These results indicate that the newly developed apparatus could serve as an effective apparatus for the oviposition induction of B. ignitus.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.23-31
• /
• 2017

Bumblebees, more efficient than honeybees, provide important services for pollination especially in tomato, pepper, cucumber, strawberries and other crops grown under tunnel farming or glasshouse conditions to yield maximization. These bees require pollen and nectar to meet their dietary needs and maintain their colony structure, development and reproduction. Keeping in view their economic importance, the effect of five concentrations of sugar and honey solutions (1:1, 1:1.5, 1:2, 2:1,1.5:1) each as alternative to nectar were used to observe their effect on life history parameters of Bombus terrestris. The 1:1 ratio of sugar solution was found most effective followed by 1.5:1, 1:1.5, 1:2 and 2:1 and also more effective of all five concentrations of honey solutions on all three stages of colony development i.e., at colony initiation, colony development and colony maturation stages. At colony initiation stage, early pre-oviposition period ($6.40{\pm}0.97$ days), early emergence of first worker in the first batch ($25.40{\pm}1.21$ days) and maximum numbers of workers ($6.20{\pm}0.24$) emergence in the first batch were observed at 1:1 ratio of sugar solution. Colonies reared on 1:1 ratio of sugar solution reached earlier ($52.13{\pm}1.28$ days) at colony foundation stage with minimum mortality ($3.27{\pm}0.54$ workers). At colony maturation stage, maximum numbers of workers, sexual (males, queens) and maximum mother queen longevity was observed at the same 1:1 ratio of sugar solution. It can be suggested from present study that sugar solution as alternative of nectar at 1:1 ratio was better than other sugar concentration levels and also from those of honey solution.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.29-35
• /
• 2012

Bumblebees are widely used to pollinate various crops, especially tomato, in greenhouses and fields. Here, we investigated whether different sugar solutions have any effects on the oviposition and colony development of Bombus terrestris queens. The types of sugar solution used were a white sugar solution, brown sugar solution, dark brown sugar solution, and prepared sugar solution; all solution contained with a 40% sugar concentration and 0.3% sorbic acid. Among these sugar solutions, B. terrestris queens reared on the white sugar solution exhibited the best results; the rates of oviposition, colony foundation and progeny-queen production were $75.0{\pm}11.0$, $33.0{\pm}9.6$ and $21.7{\pm}7.3$, respectively, which corresponded to 1.1-33.0-fold increases over the results of other sugar solutions. Queens reared on the prepared sugar solution did not found any colonies. The death rate within one month was lowest for the queens reared on the white sugar solution at $26.1{\pm}10.9%$, which was 1.2-2.0-fold lower than the rate for the other sugar solutions. Furthermore, the numbers of progeny produced by queens reared on the white sugar solution, $131.4{\pm}38.8$ workers and $51.0{\pm}40.6$ queens, were also higher, corresponding to 1.1-1.2-fold increases compared to queens raised on the other sugar solutions. Therefore, the white sugar solution was the favorable sugar solution for the egg-laying and colony developmental characteristics of B. terrestris queens.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.43-48
• /
• 2005

We investigated possible effect of different concentration of sugar solution and addition of antiseptic in the solution on oviposition and colony development of Bombus ignitus and B. terrestris. The rates of oviposition, colony foundation and progeny-queen production of B. ignitus were 1.2-3.0 fold higher in the 40$\%$ sugar solution than those of the 50$\%$ sugar solution. The rates of oviposition, colony foundation and progeny­queen production were 1.1-2.6 fold higher in the 40$\%$ sugar solution added in 0.3$\%$ sorbic acid as antiseptic than those of the 40$\%$ sugar solution. Further, the death rate within one month was 1.7 fold lower in the 40$\%$ sugar solution added in 0.3$\%$ sorbic acid than that of 40$\%$ sugar solution alone. In the comparison of the colony development tested using imported sugar solution, the Beehappy???, the 40$\%$ sugar solution added to antiseptic and the 40$\%$ sugar solution with­out antiseptic, the 40$\%$ sugar solution added to antiseptic was about equal to the Beehappy??? in colony development of B. terrestris. Further, the number of adults produced was 1.2-3.0 fold higher in the 40$\%$ sugar solution added to antiseptic than that of the Bee­happy???. Therefore the 40$\%$ sugar solution was more effective than the 50$\%$ sugar solution, and the 40$\%$ sugar solution added to antiseptic was the most effective in colony development and mass rearing of bumblebee.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.167-174
• /
• 2011

The large bumblebee $Bombus$ $terrestris$, indigenous to Europe and adjacent areas and used extensively for high-value crop pollination, has been artificially introduced to several parts of the world. Here we show the occurrence of interspecific hybridization between the bumblebee species $B.$ $hypocrita$ $sapporoensia$ and $B.$ $terrestris$ under laboratory conditions. The mating and oviposition percentages resulting from the interspecific hybridization of a $B.$ $terrestris$ queen with a $B.$ $h.$ $sapporoensis$ male were higher than those resulting from the intraspecific mating of $B.$ $h.$ $sapporoensis$. Furthermore, a competitive copulation experiment indicated that the mating of $B.$ $h.$ $sapporoensis$ males with $B.$ $terrestris$ queens was 1.2-fold more frequent than the mating of these males with $B.$ $h.$ $sapporoensis$ queens. The interspecific hybridization of a $B.$ $terrestris$ queen with a $B.$ $h.$ $sapporoensis$ male produced either $B.$ $terrestris$ workers or the $B.$ $terrestris$ male phenotype, and the hybridization of a $B.$ $h.$ $sapporoensis$ queen with a $B.$ $terrestris$ male produced $B.$ $h.$ $sapporoensis$ males. Our results indicated that interspecific hybridization occurred between $B.$ $h.$ $sapporoensis$ and $B.$ $terrestris$. These results suggest that such hybridization will have a negative competitive impact and will cause genetic contamination of native bumblebees.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.51-57
• /
• 2014

Bumblebees are important pollinators of crops and wildflowers. The Korean native bumblebee, Bombus ignitus, undergoes one generation per year, and induction of artificial hibernation is essential for year-round rearing of the bumblebee. Keeping queens under cold treatment conditions for several mo is an effective method for terminating their diapause and promoting colony development. In the present study, we investigated how the timing and duration of chilling affect the artificial hibernation of B. ignitus queens. In the timing assessment, cold treatment was instituted at 12 d, 40 d, or 100 d after eclosion under a constant temperature of $5^{\circ}C$ and 80% humidity. The queens that entered cold treatment at 12 d after emergence evidenced the highest survival rates: 86.7% at two mo, 73.3% at three mo, and 46.4% at 4 mo. Survival rates were reduced under storage conditions at 12 d, 40 d, and 100 d after emergence. When queens were subjected to chilling at 8 d, 12 d, or 16 d after eclosion with constant 80% humidity, the queens stored at 12 d after eclosion exhibited the highest survival rates, which were 84.6 at one mo, 25.0% at two mo, and 7.9% at three mo. In regards to the duration of the cold period, the queens that hibernated for at least two mo evidenced optimal colony development rates. The rates of oviposition, colony foundation, and progeny-queen production of queens hibernated for two mo were 60.0%, 30.0%, and 13.3%, respectively. These values were 6.0 to 13.3 times higher than those in the queens that hibernated for 15 d. Therefore, a cold period of at least 2 mo applied 12 d after emergence were found to be the most favorable conditions for diapause break in B. ignitus queens.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.93-98
• /
• 2010

Bumblebees are widely used to pollinate various crops, especially tomato, in greenhouses and fields. An artificial hibernation is essential for year-round rearing of the bumblebee, which passes through one generation per year. Here, we investigated whether a chilling temperature and humidity affect artificial hibernation of the bumblebee queen Bombus terrestris. In chilling temperature regimes of $0^{\circ}C$, $2.5^{\circ}C$, $5^{\circ}C$, $7.5^{\circ}C$ or $12.5^{\circ}C$ under constant humidity >70%, the queens stored at $2.5^{\circ}C$ exhibited the highest rate of survival, which was 74.0% at one month, 67.0% at two months, 60.0% at three months, 46.0% at 4 months, 33.0% at 5 months, and 24.0% at 6 months. Rates of survival decreased at the following temperatures: $0^{\circ}C$, $5^{\circ}C$, $7.5^{\circ}C$ and $12.5^{\circ}C$. Colony developmental characteristics after diapause were 1.2- to 1.5-fold higher than those of queens stored at $5^{\circ}C$. In terms of chilling humidity, the queens hibernated at 70% under $2.5^{\circ}C$ exhibited the highest rate of survival, which was $93.3{\pm}3.4%$ at one month, $83.3{\pm}0.0%$ at two months, $76.7{\pm}0.0%$ at 3 months and $36.7{\pm}12.1%$ at 5 months. The rates of oviposition, colony foundation and progeny-queen production of queens hibernated at 70% were 80.8%, 30.8% and 30.8%, respectively. These values correspond to 1.7- to 3.3-fold increases in comparison to queens stored at 50% humidity. Therefore, $2.5^{\circ}C$ and 70% R.H. were the favorable chilling temperature and humidity conditions for diapause break of B. terrestris queens.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.117-121
• /
• 2004

Chilling temperature and colony development in Korean native bumblebee, Bombus ignitus and introduced B. terrestris were firstly investigated. Among four chilling temperatures of -2.5, 0, 2.5 and 5$^{\circ}C$, 2.5$^{\circ}C$ showed the best result at the survival rate after artificial hibernation in both species. The survival rate after chilling was somewhat higher in B. ignitus until three months of cold treatment, but it was higher in B. terrestris at four months of cold treatment. In colony development of queens broken diapause by CO$_2$ treatment, oviposition rate and preoviposition period of B. ignitus were 72.5％ and 17.4 days, respectively. These values were 6.1％ higher and 7.4 days shorter than those of B. terrestris. The period up to colony foundation, the first male and queen emergence of B. ignitus were 62.8,66.4 and 63.0 days, respectively, and these values were 2.1-29.5 days shorter than those of B. terrestris. But, the duration up to first worker emergence of B. ignitus and B. terrexrris did not differ as 28.6 and 28.4 days, respectively. On the other hand, the rate of colony foundation and progeny-queen production of B. terrestris, which are the important indication in evaluating the quality of colony, were 14.2 and 13.5％, respectively and these values are 3.8 to 5.7 fold higher than those of B. ignitus. Besides, the numbers of progenies of B. terrestris reached 104.2 workers, 317.9 males and 21.1 queens, which corresponded to 1.1-1.8 fold those at B. ignitus. Therefore, above results showed that colony development of B. terrestris is superior to that of B. ignitus.