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A comparative study of the ground nests of Centris flavifrons and Centris aethiocesta (Hymenoptera: Anthophoridae)
Author(s) -
Vinson S. B.,
Frankie G. W.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
entomologia experimentalis et applicata
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.765
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1570-7458
pISSN - 0013-8703
DOI - 10.1111/j.1570-7458.1988.tb02489.x
Subject(s) - hymenoptera , nest (protein structural motif) , ecology , apoidea , biology , biochemistry
The nests of Centris aethiocesta Snelling and Centris flavifrons (Friese) are described and compared to published accounts of C flavofasciata. The three are ground nesting solitary bee species in Costa Rica. Centris aethiocesta , like previously published C. flavofasciata , prefers the beach strand, although C. aethiocesta nests in more shaded areas. Centris flavifrons nests are constructed in the dry forest savanna, often in small depressions. All three construct one cell per tunnel, with the tunnel of completed nests filled with soil. Tunnels of completed nests of C. aethiocesta are unbranched; tunnels of C. flavifrons have 6 to 10 side tunnels also filled with soil, while only one side tunnel is published for C. flavofasciata.