The Behaviour of Males of the Solitary Bee Osmia r uFa (Megachilidae) Searching for Females

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Abstract
I. Most O. rufa males make general searches for females near nests and flowers. 2. A few males spend most of their time in the nesting area and defend individual resting places from other males. 3. Males detect females more readily the closer the latter are to nests, but they pounce on other males and insects of similar size as well. 4. Males can mate several times, but females mate only once. 5. The behaviour of O. rufa males searching for females is regarded as intermediate between the general searching of some megachilid species and the territoriality of others. I. Most O. rufa males make general searches for females near nests and flowers. 2. A few males spend most of their time in the nesting area and defend individual resting places from other males. 3. Males detect females more readily the closer the latter are to nests, but they pounce on other males and insects of similar size as well. 4. Males can mate several times, but females mate only once. 5. The behaviour of O. rufa males searching for females is regarded as intermediate between the general searching of some megachilid species and the territoriality of others.

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