Aberrant cocoons found on honey bee comb cells are found to be Osmia cornifrons (Radoszkowski) (Hymenoptera: Megachillidae)

Abstract

Potential biological threats to honey bees must be identified quickly, before making disruptive and costly decisions. Here we describe numerous Osmia cornifrons (Hymenoptera: Megachillidae) cocoons in honey bee cells from one bee hive in Ohio. The developing Osmia cells presented themselves as a mystery at first, catching the attention of regulatory agencies. Along with identifying this species as a presumably benign resident in honey bee colonies, our observations suggest Osmia may use stored honey bee resources to provision offspring. Conceivably, resident honey bees might even act as surrogates because Osmia cocoons were attached to one another with honey bee wax, it seems likely that honey bee hosts were present during Osmia development. Along with resolving a potentially new biotic threat to honey bees, this diagnosis suggests a method for mass production of Osmia pollinators using an array of single-cell foundation.

Keywords:

• solitary bee
• nesting
• supersedure
• cleptobiosis
• surrogate
• inquiline
• invasive species

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to give special thanks to Joe Heider, the beekeeper who found O. cornifrons cocoons nesting in honey bee hives and who sent them to Barbara Bloetscher. Francisco Posada-Florez would like to express his gratitude to the ORAU/ORISE fellowship program awarded through USDA-ARS.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.