staigedavis’sciencescholars.clas.virginia.edu/public/presentations... · 2013. 10. 30. ·...
TRANSCRIPT
Staige Davis Mentors: T’ai Roulston and Rosemary Malfi College Science Scholars University of Virginia
Encapsulation Response Non-‐specific Melanin Cytotoxic cascade
Image from Smilanich et al. 2009
-‐ Important wildflower and crop pollinators
-‐ Social: Queen and worker caste
-‐ Native bees (50 species in North America)
-‐ 6 species regularly occur at Blandy; 3 are most abundant
Cameron et al. 2011: Patterns of widespread decline in North American bumblebees
B. pennsylvanicus B. affinis B. impatiens
10-‐14 days ~ 1 year
Conopid life history diagramed by Amber Slatosky.
(1) Do rates of parasitism by conopid flies differ across bumblebee species?
(2) Do conopid larvae achieve successful pupation more frequently in certain bee species than in others?
(3) Lastly, is the encapsulation response to foreign objects more intense in certain bumblebee species than others?
“Frozen” Treatment-‐ measures overall parasitsm rates
“Natural” Death Treatment-‐
measures rate of successful pupation
Freezer-‐anesthetized Implants inserted into live bees Freezer-‐killed after 2 hours Implant extracted and photographed
B. bimaculatus B. griseocollis B. impatiens
…coming Spring 2014!
Mentors: T’ai Roulston and Rosemary Malfi Field and Laboratory Assistance: Ariel Firebaugh,
Amber Slatosky, Courtney Beach, Kellen Paine Many thanks go to the generous donors to the College
Science Scholars program who make these summer research awards possible: Charles Henry Leach, II, Foundation, Mr. Steve Van Besien; Entigence Corporation; Lois A. Fitton & W. Christopher Draper, Jr.; Sharon B. Parente & John W. Risner; The Jefferson Trust; Robert Atkinson; Dean’s discretionary gifts