Asteraceae pollen specialization affects vulnerability to brood parasitism in mason bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae).

Abstract

Dietary specialization on “toxic” or unfavorable pollens has multiple evolutionary origins in many bee families, despite such pollen being unsuitable for most generalist bee species. Pollen specialization on unsuitable pollen types must confer other evolutionary benefits; an anti-­‐parasitism function may be one. Bees of the family Megachilidae that specialize on composite pollen (of the family Asteraceae) are seldom, if ever, parasitized by sapygid wasps (genus Sapyga), a common brood parasite. In this study, we test the effect of composite pollen diets on sapygid larval development and survival. We raised wasp larvae on three pollen types: composite (Asteraceae), legume (Fabaceae) and generalist (a mix of primarily non-­‐composite pollens). Wasp larvae survival was significantly shorter for wasps raised on composite pollen, and larvae failed to reach cocoon-­‐spinning stage. However, for the few composite-­‐reared wasps that reached second-­‐instar, development time to that stage was similar to that of non-­‐composite reared wasps. The decrease in survival suggests that composite pollen specialization is an effective strategy to reduce or eliminate sapygid parasitism.

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