Identification

Title

Life history, behavioural and morphometric data for queens and workers from an experiment manipulating costs of reproduction in bumble bee queens (Bombus terrestris)

Abstract

[This dataset is embargoed until March 12, 2023]. Data on worker behaviour, experimental treatment and sampling, queen longevity, queen and colony fecundity and queen morphometrics collected for an experiment manipulating costs of reproduction in bumble bee queens (Bombus terrestris). Full details about this dataset can be found at https://doi.org/10.5285/8efcd65a-afd7-4857-a107-9820c732b62a

Resource type

dataset

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/id/8efcd65a-afd7-4857-a107-9820c732b62a

codeSpace

doi:

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

biota

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Habitats and Biotopes

originating controlled vocabulary

title

GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2008-06-01

Keyword set

keyword value

Bombus terrestris

costs of reproduction

eusociality

evolution of ageing

life history

senescence

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

1.227

East bounding longitude

1.247

North bounding latitude

52.626

South bounding latitude

52.616

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

2019-03-01

End position

2021-03-31

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2021-12-06

Frequency of update

Quality and validity

Lineage

The files described in this document contain data collected in Objective 1, Experiment 1 of NERC project NE/R000875/1. We experimentally increased reproduction in Bombus terrestris queens to test whether this would cause them to exhibit a cost to their longevity. We acquired young colonies of B. terrestris and allocated them to two treatments: Removal (R) queens: eggs were removed and counted, therefore inducing queens to increase their fertility and hence experience greater costs of reproduction; and Control (C) queens: eggs were removed, counted, and replaced to control for the disturbance caused by egg removal. We then assessed the queen's longevity in each colony. As egg removal increases worker egg-laying and aggression towards the queen in B. terrestris, we recorded and removed workers displaying these behaviours to ensure they did not affect colony fertility (defined as the number of eggs counted in each colony every two days) and queen longevity. As locomotory activity is affected by ageing in insects, we also monitored queen movement and response to disturbance throughout the experiment. Finally, we collected and sequenced mRNA at timepoints during the experiment that represented 10% (time-point 1, TP1) and 60% (time-point 2, TP2) mortality phases in each treatment.

Conformity

Conformity report

specification

title

Commission Regulation (EU) No 1089/2010 of 23 November 2010 implementing Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards interoperability of spatial data sets and services

owner

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact

organisation name

Environmental Information Data Centre

full postal address

Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg

Lancaster

LA1 4AP

email address

info@eidc.ac.uk

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata date

2021-12-06T11:03:02

Metadata language

eng