Development and mating behavior of Osmia cornifrons (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) in the constant temperature

Osmia cornifrons is a cavity-nesting solitary species used as an apple pollinator in Korea. To elucidate the developmental characteristics of O. cornifrons, we investigated its development from the egg to adulthood, including a dormant prepupal phase and mating through indoor rearing (25°C, 65% R.H.). The egg durations of the female and male bees were 3.6±0.8days and 3.1±1.3days, respectively. During larval development, the head widths of the 1st to 5th instars ranged from 0.7±0.1mm to 1.3±0.1mm. The peak of the growth in head width was the 2nd instar. The larval lengths ranged from 3.7±0.6mm to 13.6±1.3mm. The peak of growth was the 4th instar. The larval weights ranged from 4.5±1.2mg to 78.3±16.1mg. The peak of growth was the 3rd instars. The total larval durations of from the 1st to 5th instars for the females and males were 14.0±6.0days and 13.2±5.8days, respectively. The spinning durations of the females and males were 2.2±0.7days and 2.3±0.8days, the prepupation durations were 55.5±5.9days and 55.8±2.9days, and the pupation durations were 26.4±2.1days and 25.3±2.3days, respectively. The average longevity of the female adults and male adults was 21.8±8.7days and 24.4±12.4days, respectively. The total duration of from the egg to an adult bee of the O. cornifrons females and males was 123.5days and 124.1days, respectively. Mating consisted of the three following phases: the precopulatory (courtship and attempting copulation), copulation and postcopulatory phases. The mating times of the precopulatory, copulation and postcopulatory phases were 159.6±288.9, 8.4±7.1, 12.9±4.5, and 198.8±69.8s. [Display omitted] •The ecological and developmental characteristics of Osmia cornifrons were investigated in the rearing room.•The developmental period of the O. cornifrons life cycle was elucidated through indoor rearing.•The mating characteristics of the O. cornifrons bees were investigated.