Corresponding author: Grigory Potapov (grigorij-potapov@yandex.ru)
Academic editor: Boris Filippov
This article is devoted to an analysis of possible bivoltine development of several bumblebee species in Europe. This study is based on materials collected by the authors in European countries (Slovakia, France and Greece) and in the European North of Russia (Solovetsky Archipelago). Four bumblebee species were studied. They are
The study of the life cycles of different bumblebee species is an important topic in modern research into bumblebees (
The number of papers dedicated to this subject is relatively small. The majority of these describe the life cycle of one or two species typical for the study region (
The aim of this study was to analyse our field observations of bumblebees from different areas of Europe with a special focus on the possibility of bivoltine development of bumblebee families in certain taxa.
During the field research, four bumblebees were studied. They are
The full description of the studied localities and records of bumblebees are presented in Table
New records of bumblebees indicating possible bivoltine development
Species | Locality | Date | Records | Collectors |
---|---|---|---|---|
SE Slovakia, Vihorlatské Vrchy Region, slope of the Marečková Mountain [ |
19–20.05.2011 | 4 males and 41 workers collected | Bolotov & Kolosova | |
S France, close to La Carole Village [ |
25.05.2011 | 3 males collected | Bolotov & Kolosova | |
SE Slovakia, Vihorlatské Vrchy Region, slope of the Marečková Mountain [ |
20.05.2011 | A female with specific searching behaviour was recorded. The female was looking around a mouse hole and seems to be a new generation, with brilliant, bright hair cover (fig. 1B) | Bolotov & Kolosova | |
SE Slovakia, Vihorlatské Vrchy Region, forest road near Vinné village [ |
21.05.2011 | 2 females with specific searching behaviour were recorded*. The females are probably looking for nesting sites and they appear to be a new generation, with brilliant, bright hair cover | Bolotov & Kolosova | |
S France, near Toulouse, garden | 15.01.2011 | A worker collected | Pokrovsky & Shirokova | |
Greece, Isle of Crete, entrance to the Imbras Gorge, near café [ |
23.10.2011 | A male collected | Bolotov & Kolosova | |
Greece, Isle of Crete, the Imbras Gorge, mountain valley [ |
23.10.2011 | 2 live and 1 dead females were collected and a worker was observed (fig. 1C). The females were very sluggish, with empty crops (dissected), most likely because ivy provides an imperfect nectar source, but other flowering plants were lacking along the valley on that date (fig. 1D) | Bolotov & Kolosova | |
S France, Pyrenees, foothills of the Neouville Mountain, near the boundary of Pyrenees National Park [ |
26.05.2011 | A male collected | Bolotov & Kolosova | |
European North of Russia, Solovetsky Archipelago, Isakovo Village [ |
29.06.2009 | A male collected | Kolosova & Podbolotskaya | |
European North of Russia, Solovetsky Archipelago, Savvatyevo Village [ |
26.06.2003 | 12 males collected | Kolosova & Podbolotskaya | |
European North of Russia, Solovetsky Archipelago, Bolshoy Zayatskiy Island [ |
20.06.2009 | 20 males collected | Kolosova & Podbolotskaya | |
European North of Russia, Solovetsky Archipelago, Isakovo and Savvatyevo Villages. | 29.06.2009 | 86 males collected | Kolosova & Podbolotskaya |
*Visually identified as
Habitats and bumblebees. (A) Oak-maple forest with herb-celandine plant cover on a slope of the Marečková Mountain, 20.05.2011, Slovakia. (B) Female of
Our novel records reveal that several bumblebee species may have at least two generations per season. In summary, we found evidence of possible bivoltine development for the following species:
In temperate latitudes, a bumblebee family typically exists only one season (
Both
The ability of
Finally, the problem of studying bivoltine development for bumblebee species is promising for the further research. Climate warming, which has had a global impact on bumblebees with multiple consequences (