Leioproctus boltoni facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Leioproctus boltoni
Scientific classification

The Leioproctus boltoni is a type of bee that belongs to the plasterer bee family. Scientists first described this bee in 1904. It is special because it is only found in New Zealand. This bee lives alone, not in a hive. It is small and black. You can find L. boltoni all over the main islands of New Zealand. They look for food on both native plants and plants brought from other places. These bees make their nests in the soil. Their whole life cycle lasts about one year.

About the Leioproctus boltoni Bee

How Scientists Named This Bee

The L. boltoni bee was first described by Theodore Dru Alison Cockerell in 1904. He used bees collected by Colonel Bolton in New Zealand way back in 1854. A special example of this bee, called a syntype specimen, is kept at the Natural History Museum, London. This helps scientists study the bee.

What the L. boltoni Bee Looks Like

The L. boltoni is a solitary bee, meaning it lives alone. It digs tunnels in the ground. Adult bees are usually between 7.7 and 11.8 millimeters long. Female bees are a bit stronger and wider. Male bees are usually thinner.

Both male and female bees are black. Female bees usually have 12 parts on their antennae. Male bees have 13 parts. Their heads point downwards, which is called an orthognathous head. The part of their body behind the head, called the pronotum, is attached to the middle part of their chest (mesothorax).

Female bees have a special brush-like structure. It is on their legs and is called a scopa. They use this scopa to carry pollen. In summer, you can often see female bees flying with pollen on their legs. Young bees, called larvae, are white and have no legs. As they grow into pupae, their color changes from pearly white to black. This happens as their adult features develop.

Where the L. boltoni Bee Lives

Its Home Around the World

The L. boltoni bee is endemic to New Zealand. This means it is naturally found only in New Zealand. You won't find it living in the wild anywhere else.

Where It Lives in New Zealand

This bee is found in many places across New Zealand. You can see them on the North, South, Stewart, and Three Kings Islands. Many of these bees can be found together in rural areas. One such place is Maungatapere.

They live in many different types of places. This includes native forests, like at Raumanga Valley Reserve. They also live in forests that are growing back, such as at Mount Parihaka. You can also find them in areas with pine trees, shrubs, or gorse plants. The Canterbury Region is another common place to find L. boltoni.

What Kind of Home L. boltoni Likes

For L. boltoni bees, a good home needs two main things. It needs enough food nearby. It also needs suitable ground for building nests. These bees like to live in forest undergrowth. They also live under grass, in silty areas, and on sandy or shell beaches.

When it comes to nesting, the type of soil is very important. The amount of sunshine the spot gets also matters. The ground must be dry so it doesn't flood. Loose soil is also needed. This helps the bees fill in the tunnels of their nests. Female bees dig tunnels and cells in clear ground. They like places with enough plants nearby. They also nest in cliff surfaces, coastal areas, and in silt near river beds.

Life Cycle and Reproduction

How L. boltoni Bees Grow and Reproduce

All the food these bees need comes from pollen and nectar. Pollen gives them protein. Nectar gives them sugar. Only female bees collect pollen and nectar. They bring it back to their nests to feed their young. Male bees spend most of their time mating, eating, and resting.

Adult bees usually appear in spring or early summer. This is between September and December. After mating, a female bee lays about 30 eggs. She does this once a year. Female bees start building their nests in the middle to late summer. Even though L. boltoni bees are solitary, their nests are often built close to each other.

Only female bees build the nests. Males do not help. The nests have tunnels and cells. The young bees, called larvae, live in these cells. Female bees also protect their nests from enemies. After building the cells, the female fills them with nectar. Then she lays an egg in each cell. After that, she closes the tunnel.

The larvae hatch from the eggs in about three days. They grow very quickly. The mature larvae stay in the nest over the winter. The young bees then become prepupae and pupae. They do not eat anymore until they become adults the next spring.

How Long L. boltoni Bees Live

This bee species lives for about one year. The adult bees usually die in the fall.

What L. boltoni Eats and Its Enemies

What They Eat and How They Find Food

L. boltoni bees mainly eat from the flowers of native plants. These include plants from the Asteraceae, Myrtaceae, and Fabaceae families. They have also learned to eat from introduced plants and crops. These include kiwifruit and onions. They often visit white clover flowers too.

These bees prefer to find food near their nests. This helps them save time when foraging. On average, they spend about two minutes looking for food. This can range from 46 seconds to over four minutes.

Predators, Parasites, and Diseases

L. boltoni bees can sometimes carry different types of mites. A fungus called Ascosphaera scaccaria can attack their larvae and prepupae in the nests. Also, a type of wasp called a gasteruptiid from the Pseudomonas genus might attack L. boltoni bees.

How Much L. boltoni Can Carry

Knowing how much a bee can carry helps scientists. It tells them how far the bee might fly to find food. This information can help create plans to protect the bees. Experiments show that L. boltoni bees can carry about 52% of their own body weight. During these tests, the bees sometimes tried to remove the extra weight. Scientists are still not sure why they did this.

How L. boltoni Builds Its Nest

The female L. boltoni bee chooses her nesting spot carefully. The type of soil and how much sun the spot gets are important. Female bees have been seen waiting at the entrance of their nests. They might be waiting for the temperature to get warmer before they leave. Scientists think this need for warmth is why nests are often in sunny places.

When the temperature is right, the female bee walks around her nest a few times. Then she flies around the nest in a figure-eight shape. Finally, she leaves the nest area to find food.