Bees, Ovaries, Fungal Parasites

Jackson Liu, Margarita Orlova

Biology, College of Arts and Science, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Utica, NY, USA

This study examined behavioral patterns of nest defenders against intrusion. We compared head and ovary sizes as well as parasite infestation in bees that served as nest defenders and and in those that didn’t. We didn’t find a relationship between defense and body size or infestation. But ovary size in defenders and non-defenders differed.