Plastic microcentrifuge tubes serve as individual emergence capture devices. When installed at the exit of sealed bee nest holes, these tubes safely contain adult bees immediately upon their emergence from the cocoon. This mechanism allows researchers to isolate specific individuals before they can disperse or mix with other populations.
By isolating the exit of a trap nest, these tubes create a closed system that guarantees a definitive link between a specific insect, its emergence time, and the biological resources found within its nest.
The Role in Data Integrity
Establishing Precise Correspondence
The primary scientific function of the tube is to enforce a strict one-to-one relationship between the biological specimen and its environment.
When a bee is captured immediately at the exit, there is zero ambiguity regarding which nest hole it occupied. This allows researchers to link that specific adult bee directly to the internal contents of the nest, such as pollen samples or nest architecture.
Facilitating Temporal Accuracy
Beyond simple capture, these devices are essential for recording accurate phenological data.
Because the bee is retained at the moment of exit, researchers can record the exact timing of emergence. This provides critical data points regarding the seasonal activity and development cycles of different species.
Scientific Application: Resource Mapping
Linking Species to Flora
The ultimate utility of this setup is the ability to reconstruct the bee's interaction with its ecosystem.
By analyzing the pollen found in the specific nest hole and pairing it with the captured adult, researchers can identify the floral resources used by that specific bee species. This creates a verified "link" between the insect and the plants it pollinates.
Operational Considerations
The Necessity of Monitoring
While this method offers high precision, it creates a dependency on active observation.
To accurately record emergence times as intended, the tubes must be checked frequently. Neglecting regular monitoring undermines the temporal data and risks the health of the captured specimen.
Physical Constraints
The use of standard microcentrifuge tubes implies a limitation on the size of the specimen.
This method is specifically calibrated for bees small enough to emerge into the tube volume. It ensures containment but requires that the hardware matches the physical dimensions of the target species.
Strategies for Trap Nest Research
If your primary focus is Ecological Mapping:
- Utilize these tubes to maintain a sterile chain of custody between pollen samples and the specific bee species that collected them.
If your primary focus is Phenology (Timing):
- Implement a rigorous checking schedule to maximize the precision of the emergence timestamps captured by the device.
This simple modification transforms a standard trap nest from a passive housing unit into a high-fidelity data collection instrument.
Summary Table:
| Feature | Function in Trap Nesting |
|---|---|
| Primary Role | Individual emergence capture and isolation |
| Data Integrity | Establishes 1:1 link between bee and nest contents |
| Temporal Accuracy | Records precise emergence timing (phenology) |
| Resource Mapping | Correlates species identification with pollen samples |
| Constraint | Size-limited to smaller bee species |
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References
- David W. Roubik, Rogel Villanueva‐Gutiérrez. Invasive Africanized honey bee impact on native solitary bees: a pollen resource and trap nest analysis. DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2009.01275.x
This article is also based on technical information from HonestBee Knowledge Base .
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