About the Spurred Ceratina
Ceratina calcarata, the spurred ceratina, is a species of small carpenter bee in the family Apidae. It is found in eastern North America. This species ranges from Georgia, USA north to Ontario, Canada and east to Nova Scotia, Canada. This bee is a common generalist, native pollinator, it pollinates plants like watermelon and cucumber very effectively. C. calcarata adds to the productivity of a wide range of ecological and agricultural systems due to its wide range and abundance. This small bee is becoming a model organism in the scientific research of social evolution. C. calcarata is the first subsocial bee species to have its genome published, allowing researchers to investigate the evolutionary origins of social behaviour.
Male eggs are laid on provision masses that are smaller than those that female eggs are laid on. Based on the size of the mother's provision masses, there is a positive association between her size and her foraging capabilities; however, more daughters are not produced by larger mothers as it might be assumed. Larger offspring are more beneficial for C. calcarata because the progeny are more likely to survive the winter months, resulting in... Wikipedia →