BIOETHOLOGY OF CHALICODOMA PARIETINA (GEOFFROY) (HYMENOPTERA MEGACHILIDAE) IN CALABRIA

The results of observations on biology, behaviour (mating, nest building, food storage) and natural enemies of Chalicodoma parietina (Geoffroy) are reported. The study was conducted in Mosorrofa (rural area near Reggio Calabria - Italy) during 2002-2003. The emergence of the adult males and females was recorded. One week of proterandry was observed. Nest building was performed by females only, which prefer to use the old nest using ground particles of soil and gravel kneaded with a secretion of the labial glands to repair it. Nest usurpation by other females and mutual construction were not observed. The flowers visited by the bees were mainly leguminous plants of the Mediterranean flora that essentially bloom in the spring. The cleptoparasite Dioxys cincta (Jurine) and the parasitoids Anthrax anthrax Schrank, Leucospis gigas F., and Monodontomerus obsoletus F. were observed inside the ball-shaped nests of C. parietina. 22.15% of the pedotrophic cells contained dead larvae.