What process does the female perform after provisioning the brood cell with pollen and nectar before sealing it?
Answer
Laying a single egg on top of the food source
The female Wool Carder Bee exhibits a precise sequence for completing each individual thimble-sized brood cell she constructs within her chosen nesting cavity. After gathering the necessary plant fibers to create the soft, insulating lining, she provisions the cell by packing it with a mixture composed of collected pollen and nectar, which will serve as food for the developing larva. Once this food mass is prepared, the female deposits a single egg directly onto the surface of the provisions. Only after laying this solitary egg does she seal the cell completely, using more plant material or sometimes small pebbles to plug the opening, before moving on to construct the next cell.
Related Questions
To which insect family does the Wool Carder Bee, Anthidium manicatum, belong?What is the specific function of the pale, brush-like hairs ('scopa') on the male Anthidium manicatum's abdomen?What action gives the Wool Carder Bee its common name related to female behavior?What plant species is noted as a known favorite source for the female's nest lining fiber?What is the primary ecological consequence of aggressive male Anthidium manicatum guarding behavior in new territories?Where does the native geographic range of the Wool Carder Bee primarily extend across?In which state and approximate decade was the establishment of wild populations of Anthidium manicatum first documented in North America?What feature distinguishes the male Wool Carder Bee from the female regarding their appearance?What process does the female perform after provisioning the brood cell with pollen and nectar before sealing it?What is the general classification for the nesting sites typically utilized by Anthidium manicatum?