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The effects of diet, mating duration, female to male ratios, and temperature on ovary activation, mating success, and fecundity of Aethina tumida
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Edité par CCSD ; Springer Verlag -
International audience. The effects of natural diet (brood, pollen, honey, and their various combinations), mating duration (1 day versus 2 days), female (F) to male (M) ratio (1F/1M, 2F/1M, and 1F/2M), and temperature (34 versus 27–29 °C) on ovary activation, mating success, and fecundity of small hive beetles (SHBs) were studied. Our results indicated that regardless of mating duration, (1) a diet of brood, pollen, and honey presented together supported the highest fecundity; (2) intake of protein-rich diets encouraged ovary activation and egg-laying; and (3) diet of honey alone did not encourage ovary activation, mating success, and egg-laying at room temperature. Regardless of the number of males available for mating, egg-laying varied through time. Overall, females that were presented with two males for a 5-day mating period had higher fecundity than females provided with one male or three male partners. High temperature accelerated ovary activation and egg-laying regardless of female to male ratio during a 15-h mating period. Knowledge of these factors that influence fecundity helps elucidate why SHBs are very successful pests of honey bees.
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