• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.139-143
• /
• 2004

It was investigated whether developmental characteristics of foundation queens of Bombus ignitus collected in the 4 localities in Korea would be affected by the first oviposition days of them. The first ovipostion day was classified as 1-4 days (immediate early), 5-6days (early), 7-10 days (delayed early), 11-20 days{medium), 21- 40 days (late), and above 41 days (very late). The queen that had the early first oviposition day, i.e., laid eggs so early after starting to be raised indoors, showed much higher rate of colony foundation and progeny-queen production and much shorter period of colony foundation and worker emergence. Besides, the numbers of worker and progeny-queen emerged from the queen that had the early first oviposition day were higher than those of the queen that had the late first oviposition. In results, the queen that had the early first oviposition day could make colony stronger and could make colony formation period shorter, therefore, the first oviposition day of foundation queen was proved to be a criterion for the selection of super colonies when B. ignitus is raised indoors.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.95-99
• /
• 2004

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of body weight of queen on the developmental characteristics of foundation queens in the Bombus ignitus collected in Korean locality. Queens were classified into six groups based on their body weight (i.e., 0.4 g, 0.5 g, 0.6 g, 0.7 g, 0.8 g and 0.9 g). The average weight of 200 foundation queens collected was 0.657${\times}40.095 g and 0.6 g-class was most abundant (38 %) among six weight classes. The queen that had the heavy body weight showed the trends of higher rate of oviposition, colony foundation and progeny-queen production and shorter periods of preoviposition and colony foundation, suggesting the positive correlation between the body weight of queen and colony developmental characteristics. Also, the numbers of worker and progeny-queen emerged from the queen with heavy body weight were slightly higher than those with light body weight queen.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.7-13
• /
• 2008

We investigated mating conditions about care temperature of queen before mating, mating period, and number of queen per mating cage to improve mating rate of Bombus terrestris. Among $19^{\circ}C$, $22^{\circ}C$ and $25^{\circ}C$, care temperatures of queen before mating, queen cared at $19^{\circ}C$ was more effective than those at $22^{\circ}C$ and $25^{\circ}C$ in death rate during care and mating periods, and colony development In case of mating period, oviposition rate and preoviposition periods at queen mated during 3 days were 89.3% and 11.4 days, respectively, which was higher and earlier than those of queen mated during 5 days and 7 days. The rate of worker emergence, colony foundation and progeny-queen production at 3 days-mated queen were also 2.0-11.6% higher than those at queen mated during 5 days and 7 days. In number of queen per mating cage, the rate of worker emergence, colony foundation and progeny-queen production queen mated at mating cage with 10 queens and 30 males were 41.5%, 25.9% and 23.2%, respectively. These values correspond to 1.5-6.8 folds those queen mated at cage with 20 queens and 30 queens. Therefore, we supposed that care temperature favorable for B. terrestris queen was $19^{\circ}C$ and the period need to mating was 3 days, and the number of queen per mating cage ($55{\times}45{\times}65\;cm$) was 10.

• 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.9 no.2
• /
• pp.241-247
• /
• 2004

It was investigated whether or not flight has any effects on oviposition and colony development of the artificially hibernated Bombus terrestris queen and ,$CO_2$-treated queen. Flight periods were defined as 0 days (control), 1 day, 3 days and 6 days. The weights of queens after flight were 1.5-8.9% lower than those before flight depending on the flight periods. The oviposition and colony development of artificially hibernated and $CO_2$-treated B. terrestris queen were affected by the flight. Among flight periods tested, in particular, the queens start to flight for 3 days showed better flight effect than those other flight periods in the colony development, rate of colony foundation, rate of progeny-queen production, the number of worker and queen produced. But, the longer the flight periods is, the worse the oviposition and colony development of the queens hibernated artificially and $CO_2$-treated are (i.e., the 6 days-flight queen).

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.21-25
• /
• 2005

As a means for year-round rearing of bumblebee, CO$_{2}$ -narcosis time favorable for colony development was identified in Bombus terrestris. CO$_{2}$ -narcosis time divided into five classes: 11 days of adult emergence (A-11), the day of adult emergence (A-0), late pupal stage (LP), middle pupal sta ge (MP), and early pupal stage (EP). In egg-laying characteristics, the oviposition rate of LP, A-11 and A-0 was over 76.0$\%$, but that of MP and EP was less than 61.1 $\%$. At the same time, the days needed to first oviposition shortened to 9.8 ­10.5 days in A-11, A-O and LP, comparing to 13.7 -16.1 days in MP and EP. The rate of colony foundation, progeny-queen produced and period of colony foundation of A-11 were the best results in among those at different CO$_{2}$-treatment time. The number of worker produced was 109.2 -110.5 in A-H, LP and A-H, comparing to 82.0 - 86.8 in MP and EP. Also, the number of progeny-queen produced of A-H, A-O and LP was 36.1, 41.0 and 71.3, respectively, which corresponded to 1.5 - 3.1 fold higher than MP and EP. Taken these together, CO$_{2}$-narcosis time favorable for colony development was determined to be 11 days of adult emergence. Also, the day of adult emergence and late pupal stage showed a positive effect on the oviposition and colony development in CO$_{2}$-narcosis time.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.47 no.1
• /
• pp.95-100
• /
• 2008

We compared colony development and survival rate after artificial hibernation between the bumblebees, Bombus terrestris, produced from domestic and foreign companies. The number of worker and queen produced from foundation colony of three domestic and one foreign companies was 232.4-270.8 and 62.0-181.8, respectively, but there was no statistical difference. In colony development of B. terrestris queens which were terminated diapause by $CO_2$ narcosis at different companies, oviposition rate, colony foundation and progeny-queen production of bumblebees produced from domestic companies were superior to those from foreign company. But foreign company in the number of worker and queen was superior to domestic companies. On the other hand, survival rate and colony development of B. terrestris queens, which were terminated diapause by artificial hibernation at three domestic and two foreign companies, were no significant differences. These results indicate that oviposition, colony foundation, progeny-queen production, and survival rate after artificial hibernation showed no differences between the bumblebees produced from domestic and foreign companies.

• 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.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.41 no.4
• /
• pp.239-245
• /
• 2002

It was investigated whether or not such helpers as worker bee, bee-cocoon and egg-cup etc, have any effects on oviposition and colony foundation of the bumblebee queen, Bombus ignitus. Among the helpers tested, the callow workers of B. ignitus and B. terrestris showed the most remarkable effects on the oviposition rates to 92% and 88%, respectively. The live cocoon as a helper improved oviposition rate over 60%. A narcotized old worker 10-20 days-aged after emergence, showed similar effects to a callow worker on the colony development such as oviposition rate, colony foundation and progeny-queen production. On the other hand, dried cocoon, callow honeybee worker or egg-cup did not show a positive effect as a helper. In the number of workers recruited to a foundation queen, two workers showed better effect than one worker on the colony development, with no difference between two and more.

• 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.