Variability in egg-to-adult development time in the bee Ptilothrix plumataand its parasitoids

1. Ptilothrix plumata (Hymenoptera) is a neotropical solitary bee that nest s in bare, sandy soils. Data on the biology and behaviour of this species a re provided. Egg-to-adult development time of a neotropical solitary bee an d its parasitoids is quantified for the first time. 2. The bee showed huge variability in egg-to-adult development time. There are two categories of eggs relative to adult emergence. The sam season eggs are those from which adults emerge in the same reproductive season in whic h the ego's were laid. Adults from next season eggs emerge in the next dry reproductive season. This variability in egg-to-adult development time is r eached through prepupal diapause. The bee larval parasitoids Leucospis gena lis (Hymenoptera) and Anthrax sp. (Diptera) showed similar range in their d evelopment times. The data show that diapause is controlled by season. 3. By synchronising adult emergence, this variability in egg-to-adult devel opment time facilitates mate finding, and population recruitment is a conse quence of the bees avoiding the unfavourable reproductive season.