Development of hives for field population increase, and studies on the life cycles of the four species of introduced bumble bees in New Zealand

Abstract

In the 3 years 1971–73, of 340 field nest boxes and hives of several different designs, 84 (24.7%) were occupied by all 4 introduced bumble bee species in New Zealand. Field-collected and induced nests were generally similar in bee productivity. Reproductive nests of Bombus hortorum and B. terrestris produced from 2 to 5 times as many individuals as did nests of the same 2 species in Europe. The increase is attributable to the bumble bees freedom in New Zealand from all but 3 of their enemies present in Europe, the lack of endemic New Zealand enemies, and the relative freedom from competition for food by other bee species. Some nests of these 2 species were founded throughout most of the year. Nests of B. ruderatus and B. subterraneus were similar in production of total individuals to nests of the same 2 species in Europe: nests were founded only in spring and summer, and competition for food from the other 2 species may have limited nest size. Only 32 (38.1%) of the induced nests produced new queens. Nest mortality was greatest when the foundress queens disappeared or died in the nest (52.4%). In the 3 seasons, the number of new queens produced by reproductive nests was 12.4 times greater than the number of queens (100) involved in founding all 84 nests. New queens that return to maternal nests may investigate replicas of the maternal nests when nest site searching. The tendency of some new queens to return to the vicinity of the maternal nests the following season, and the increased numbers of foundress queens present in subsequent years because of the presence of hives, may lead to increasingly high acceptance rates from season to season. The designed hives were adequate for all phases of nest development, but future hives should allow for better drainage and should be constructed of more durable materials. Prospects for increasing populations of bumble bees in New Zealand by use of simply constructed field-placed hives appear to be excellent.

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S. S. Wier

Resigned