USE OF INTRODUCED BOMBUS-TERRESTRIS WORKER HELPERS FOR RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF JAPANESE NATIVE B-HYPOCRITA COLONIES (HYMENOPTERA, APIDAE)

The initial stage of colony development of the Japanese bumblebee, Bombus hypocrita PEREZ was compared between colonies started with a sole B. hypocrita queen and a single B. hypocrita queen with three newly-emerged artificially-introduced workers of B. terrestris. In colonies with helpers, the first brood of B. hypocrita emerged earlier than in sole-queen colonies. Colonies with helpers produced about twice the number of B. hypocrita workers in the early stages and developed rapidly. This technique could be applied to mass production of native Japanese Bombus species for use as pollinators.