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Section Symposium

Plant-Insect Ecosystems

Physiology, Biochemistry, and Toxicology

Empowering Wild Bee Microbiome Research and Working Toward Phyllosphere Management

Microbial acquisition and interactions in the blue orchard bee (Osmia lignaria)

Sunday, November 10, 2024
2:25 PM – 2:47 PM MST
Location: Phoenix Convention Center, 122 A, PCC
Oral Presentation
Many solitary bee species are predicted to obtain a bulk of their microbial associates from environmental sources. Once acquired, environmental microbes are likely to have varying effects on bee health, ranging from mutualistic to antagonistic, and those interactions may be dependent on context. However, the direct source from which these microbes are obtained and how these microbes interact with the host remain unclear. In this study, we used the Blue Orchard Bee (Osmia lignaria) to explore: 1) the acquisition of microbes from floral resources in adult bees and pollen provisions, and 2) the effects of environmental variables on larval pathogen susceptibility. We found that flowers are a source of microbial acquisition, but environmental filtering may occur which impacts establishment of microbes across sample types. Ultimately, this research provides insight on pollination networks as microbial pathways and context-dependency in host-microbe interactions.