MICROBIAL FLORA OF THE LARVAL PROVISIONS OF THE SOLITARY BEES, CENTRIS PALLIDA AND ANTHOPHORA SP

Abstract

All microbes isolated from the larval provisions of two solitary bees, Cenmis pallida and Anihophoi- a sp. (an undescribed species in the Linsleyi group), were spore-forming bacteria belonging to the genus Bacillus. Bacillus cii-ciilans and B. coagulans were the most frequent isolates from provisions of C. pallida, and B. circulans was the only microbe found in the provisions of Aitthophora sp. The bacteria isolated produced a variety of enzymes including esterases, proteases, amylases, and glycosidases. These findings are discussed in relation to the presence of Bacillus spp. in the food of other bees that are social. Since Bacillus spp. are well known for their wide range of metabolic activities and their ability to secrete their chemical products, they may be involved in the metabolic conversion, fermentation, and/or preservation of the food of bees.