Hi everyone,
I was wondering if there is an published article about hybrid vigor (heterosis) in solitary bees, or an excellent example of breeding solitary bees for increased vigor and fitness?
Jim Cane
Blair- best and only example I know was your fellow Canadian Ken Richards and others selecting for a strictly univoltine alfalfa leafcutting bee. However, it could not be maintained in the field because of genetic swamping by feral conspecifics. Probably that would be a fate for most attempts at "improving" a native bee except for the case that you imply, rescuing genetically depauperate populations. Until recently, we lacked tools to track genetic fates of such manipulations in the field.
yours, jim
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