Essai d'une analyse causale du comportement agressif des ouvrières d'abeilles (Apis mellifica)

Sans résuméManuscrit remis en 1953.     

Influence de la technique du double greffage sur le développement des reines deApis mellifica

Résumé Dans cet exposé, nous avons montré que des reines obtenues par double greffage ou hyper-reines sont élevées dans des cellules nettement plus grandes et beaucoup mieux acceptées par les Abeilles que les reines obtenues par simple greffage.En outre, les hyper-reines sont plus lourdes que les reines normales, si on considère l'ordre des éclosions successives.Elles ont aussi un nombre d'ovarioles plus important.Dès lors, il sera intéressant d'étudier systématiquement la ponte des deux sortes de reines et ainsi de vérifier si le nombre d'ovarioles plus élevé des hyper-reines correspond à une augmentation du taux de ponte.

---

Summary The results of these studies indicate that queens obtained after a double grafting (or Hyper-queens) are bred by the workers in higher and better adopted cells than queens obtained after a simple grafting.Besides, «Hyper-queens» are more weighty than the usual breeding queens, in relation to the order of the successive hatchings. They have also more ovarioles.Then, it will be interesting to study the egg-laying of each kind of queens, and so, to see if the number of the Hyper-queens'ovarioles is in relation to an increase in the rate of egg-laying.

---

Zusammenfassung In diesem Beitrag haben wir versucht, darzulegen, dass Königinnen, die man durch doppelte Uberpflanzung erzielt hat, oder sogenannte Hyperköniginnen, in Zellen erzogen werden, die entschieden grösser sind, und dass diese Königinnen von den Bienen viel leichter anerkannt werden als durch einfache Uberpflanzung erzeugte Königinnen. Dazu sind die Hyperköniginnen schwerer als die gewöhnlichen Königinnen, wenn man die Reinhenfolge der Ausschlüpfungen in Betracht zieht. Sie haben auch eine grössere Zahl Eischläuche.Im Rahmen der nächsten Forschungen wird es deshalb aufschlussreich sein, das Eierlegen der beiden Königinarten systematisch zu beobachten, und auf diese Weise nachzuprüfen, ob einer erhöhten Zahl Eischläuche bei den Hyperköniginnen ein erhöhtes Eierlegen entspricht.

     

La fondation et le développement des colonies chez quelques espèces de fourmis du genreCremastogaster Lund

Summary Among the species studied (Cr. scutellaris, Cr. auberti, Cr. sordidula, Cr. skounensis, Cr. vandeli), the formation of colonies from an isolated non social female seems an exception owing to the numerous adverse circumstances which both female and the young colony are liable to meet with. On the contrary, the greatest number of colonies are usually established by the coming out of offshoots followed by the adoption of a swarming female by the workers of the detached colony, on condition that this female has been fertilized. If not so, she is either massacred or expelled and left alone. On the other hand it is not necessary for the queen to originate from the same nest as the workers. If these do not succeed in adopting a female, the offshoot colony tends inevitably to perish sooner or later. Slight differences must be noted among the various species ofCremastogaster. AmongCr. scutellaris the foundation of colonies by isolated females is quite frequently to be observed while amongCr. auberti andCr. skounensis the establishment of colonies by off shoots detached from the nest seems to be the rule.     

Le comportement des cirières d'Apis mellifica devant un «thème» de construction. Le role des destructions et des reconstructions des rayons

Summary Some typical shapes of wax-sheet are offered to the bee-workers of a beehive in order to test the «Stigmergy theory» established byGrassé with TermitesCubitermes sp. andBellicositermes natalensis. Is this theory sufficient to explain the building behavior of the Bees?Many similarities are pointed out: the Bees lay some little wax-heaps at random wherever the first comb is built, some of them become the foundations of the first comb; the other combs are not always parallel with the first one and have to be twisted by some bonds of bee-workers; the first phasis of the construction offers an incoherent behavior, the second one is coherent. Certainly, in many exemples, it is possible to see that the achieved building stimulates and leads the bee-workers to construct the next parts of their nest. But, in the bee-world, we will have to apply a complement to the «Stigmergy theory» to explain some facts described in this paper: the remodelling of the cells and the combs by destructions, the twistling of the combs by chains of bees bound with their legs, the construction of irregular cells between male and worker-cells, etc. Finally, the complement of the «Stigmergy theory» for the bee-world will have to take in account the consecutive destructions and contructions of the same part of a comb.     

Préférences Polliniques des Principaux Insectes Pollinisateurs de Légumineuses Fourragères

Un total de 1720 insectes appartenant à plusieurs genres d'Apoidea et butinant sur la flore locale tout au long de leur activité (début mai jusqu'à la fin de septembre) ont été récoltés pendant 1981 et 1982. Ces insectes ont ensuite été individuellement traités. L'extraction des grains de pollen retenus sur le corps et dans les scopae des insectes à été quasi complète. Les pollens non acétolysés, ont été montés dans la glycérine gélatine. L'analyse pollinique des grains de pollen recueillis à partir des insectes, permet dans un premier temps, de mettre en évidence les families botaniques les plus représentatives du point de vue «apport pollinique» Asteraceae (Cichorioideae et Carduueae), Boraginaceae, Ericaceae, Leguminosae, Lamiaceae et Rosaceae. Cette analyse permet également de différencier les espèces d'insectes poly et oligolectiques.

Native wild bees from the Portuguese northwestern region collect pollen from different plant species during the foraging season (May to August). After analyzing the nest pollen contents, stored by some Megachilidae species used as efficient crops pollinators, we may conclude about the presence of pollen grains belonging to a strict range of families. In some species, the almost exclusive presence of pollen grains belonging to the Leguminosae family in the pollen contents of nest cells, opens a new pathway for the understanding of the relationship between insect and type of culture (insect diet). The presence of a particular pollen, while carrier of valuable information about the local flora looked for by wild bees, is an indicator of the food source. We may, this way, maximize insect utilization and minimize the costs brought about by industrial mass-rearing.     

Influence des éclusées hydroélectriques sur la distribution et le développement larvaire des Diptères Simuliidae d'une rivière de moyenne montagne

The specific composition, downstream distribution and larval development of the Diptera Simuliidae from a Pyrenean river were studied upstream and downstream of a hydroelectric power plant with hypolimnetic releases. Duringpower generation, flow and temperature are the two main environmental factors modified. The downstream distribution of the species reflected both the impact of hydropeaking and the natural zonation. Twelve species were identified upstream from the power plant, only three 700 m below the outlet, and nine 3 500 m downstream. The life cycle patterns and the growth rates of the five dominating species were similar at the three sampling sites, and only slight differences in hatching and/or emergence periods were recorded. The Simuliidae of the Oriège complete their larval development during short periods when artificial thermal fluctuations have a minor effect on the populations, and their population structure and distribution are mainly governed by hydraulic disturbances.     

La localisation,le comportement et les relations «Proie-prédateur» chezCoccinella septempunctata dans un champ de blé

Des adultes et des larves deC. septempunctata ont été observés individuellement dans un champ de blé afin de préciser, au cours de la journée et en fonction de la saison, leur distribution sur le végétal, la durée des principales séquences de leur comportement et leurs relations avec les pucerons. Au début du printemps, cette espèce thermophile est présente sur le sol et sur les feuilles basses des talles où elle est très mobile. Les adultes font très fréquemment la toilette des appendices de la tête. En juin, la population larvaire et imaginale se regroupe sur la partie supérieure des talles où se trouvent les pucerons. A cette époque, l'immobilité domine. Ces variations de la distribution verticale sont confirmées par la position sur le végétal des proies capturées. Les données suggèrent que, dans les champs, cette coccinelle consacre peu de temps à son alimentation. Le faible nombre de proies ingérées pose le problème de la couverture de ses besoins trophiques. Summary Observations were made in a wheat field during daylight hours to determine how the vertical distribution of adults and larvae ofCoccinella septempunctata changed with season and in response to aphid populations on which this coccinellid feeds. In early spring, this thermophilic coccinellid (larvae and adults) remained close to the ground and on the lower part of tiller leaves where it was highly active. Adults frequently groomed their head appendages. By June, most adults and larvae were found on the upper parts of tillers, the area preferred by their aphid prey. The beetles remained close to such sites and hence their vertical distribution corresponded to that of the aphids on which they fed. The fact that the beetles appeared to spend most of their time resting and moving within wheat crops, and little time feeding, raises the question of how the larvae and adults satisfy their dietary needs.

     

La commission internationale de lutte biologique,son organisation,son fonctionnement,son rôle dans le développement de la taxonomie des insectes

Summary While the problems of biological control have been studied in the Anglosaxon countries for almost a century, continental Europe has stayed behind in this scientific field. To improve this situation, the ≪Commission Internationale de Lutte Biologique (C.I.L.B.)≫ has been founded under the auspices of the International Union of Biological Sciences (I.U.B.S.) in 1950. Many difficulties had to be overcome at the beginning, but after the first general assembly, held in Paris in 1958, the activities of the commission have taken a very satisfactory course. At present, official institutions of 14 countries collaborate with the C.I.L.B., which is an organ of coordination and communication that joins the efforts of the national services with regard to better results in the biological control of insect pests. The C.I.L.B. is directed by an executive bureau, and its projects are carried out by working-teams. Its official organ is the revueEntomophaga. In the field of taxonomy, the activities of the C.I.L.B. have led to the foundation of anEntomophage Identification Center, with its seat at the Museum of Geneva. At present, the Center depends of aTaxonomic working-team whose task it is to stimulate the systematic research of entomophages in the countries which are members of the C.I.L.B. This team facilitates both the contact between the specialists and their transfer to other places for special studies. On the other hand, it coordinates the systematic investigations necessary for the studies of other working groups.      

Utilisation préhistorique de la technique minière d’abattage au feu dans le district cuprifère de Cabrières (Hérault)

Fire-setting to open up mines has been used on hard rock since prehistoric times. In the copper-mining district of Cabrières, the existence of metre-sized spherical or sub-spherical cavities, sometimes spaced along the same vertical in an ore seam, has usually been ascribed to this method 〚12〛, 〚13〛, 〚20〛. Two AMS ¹⁴C dating of micro-charcoal found in dolomite and of burnt ore breccias related to extraction in these cavities give the ages 3830 ± 40 BP, cal BC 2340–2130 and 3900 ± 40 BP, cal BC 2480–2280, which is the first evidence in France of the use of fire-setting in prehistoric mines.     

Contrôle de la détermination et de la différenciation des caractères sexuels somatiques de Néréidiens (Annélides polychètes)

Résumé Les modalités de la détermination et de la différenciation du dimorphisme sexuel de Néréidiens (Annélides Polychètes) ont été recherchées chezNereis pelagica L. etPerinereis cultrifera G. par des expériences de décérébration, de castration (par irradiation X), de greffes et d'injection de produits génitaux.Les caractères sexuels somatiques des cirres parapodiaux (renflement et crénelures) se développent toujours conformément au sexe génétique quel que soit l'état génital de laNereis et la nature de l'intervention. La détermination des caractères sexuels somatiques des cirres parapodiaux apparaît donc comme étant très précoce (3 mois au moins avant la différenciation génitale) et stable.Par contre, les papilles pygidiales, caractère sexuel mâle dans les conditions normales, peuvent se différencier chez les très jeunes femelles dont l'épitoquie est déclenchée prématurément par décérébration et chez les femelles de tout âge dont les transformations hétéronéréidiennes sont réalisées en présence d'un milieu mâle (injection de produits génitaux, greffe sur un mâle). Les papilles pygidiales semblent donc déterminées précocement chez les deux sexes; leur différenciation est cependant inhibée chez les femelles au cours de la maturation génitale.

---

Control of determination and the differentiation of the sexual somatic characters of Nereids (Annelida Polychaeta)

Summary The modalities of determination and differentiation of sexual dimorphism of Nereids (Annelida Polychaeta) were investigated inNereis pelagica L. andPerinereis cultrifera G. with experiments involving decerebration, castration (by X irradiation), grafts or injection of genital products.The sexual somatic characters of the parapodial cirri (swelling and crenellations) always develop according to the genetic sex, whatever the genital state of the Nereis and the nature of the intervention. Therefore the determination of the sexual somatic characters of the parapodial cirri appear to be determined in a very precocious and stable way (at least 3 months before the genital differentiation).The pygidial papillae, a male sexual character in normal conditions, can be formed by very young females in which heteronereidation is realized prematurely by decerebration, and by females of any age in which heteronereid transformations are realized in a male environment (e.g. by injection of genital products, or grafting onto a male). Therefore the pygidial papillae may be determined precociously in either sex; however their differentiation is normally inhibited in females in the course of genital maturation.

     

Susceptibilité des chenilles du bombyx disparate (Lymantria dispar L.) envers la polyédrie dans les diverses phases de gradation de leur développement dans la nature

Summary Experimental research was carried out to establish the polyhedral sensitivity of the caterpillars ofLymantria dispar L., in regard to their gradation phase in nature. Differences in polyheral deathrate after virus infection, were revealed, in relation to the culmination, the retrogradation, the latent phases as well as an undetermined phase they originated from. The possible reasons for this are being discussed.      

La place de l’examen direct des prélèvements bactériologiques dans le diagnostic des infections bactériennes

Routine examination of bacteriological sample presents two steps: direct examination and culture. Final aim of these examinations is to identify most of bacteria responsible of infection in order to justify an antibiotic treatment. Interest of direct examination in the identification of bacterial colony is well-established; however its importance in the appreciation of bacteriological samples is sometimes neglected by technician and intern of bacteriology. This presentation aim to remind us this importance in current bacteriological diagnosis by relating what responses it could bring in asked bacteriological analyses which are: cerebrospinal fluid, urine collection and cervicovaginal secretion.