We studied the reproductive behaviour of the solitary bee Colletes halophilus based on the variation in cell size, larval food amount and larval sex in relation to the sexual size dimorphism in this bee. Brood cells with female larvae are larger and contain more larval food than cells with males. Occasionally males are reared in female-sized cells. We conclude that a female C. halophilus in principal anticipates the sex of her offspring at the moment brood cell construction is started. Additionally a female is able to ‘change her mind’ about the sex of her offspring during a single brood cell cycle. We present a model that can predict the sex of the larvae in an early stage of development.

中文翻译：

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嗜盐蜂群（膜翅目；蜂科）中的性别特异性巢细胞


我们根据细胞大小、幼虫食物量和幼虫性别与性大小二态性相关的变化，研究了独居蜜蜂 Colletes halophilus 的繁殖行为。雌性幼虫的巢室比雄性幼虫的巢室更大，含有更多的幼虫食物。有时，雄性会在雌性大小的牢房中饲养。我们得出的结论是，雌性嗜盐嗜盐杆菌原则上在育雏细胞构建开始时就预测了其后代的性别。此外，雌性能够在单个育雏细胞周期中“改变主意”关于其后代的性别。我们提出了一个可以在发育早期预测幼虫性别的模型。