An integrative identification approach reveals that subspecies hybridization in Bombus terrestris predates commercial use and varies with greenhouse density
- 1Laboratory of Applied Entomology for Human and Plant Health, Margarita Salas Center for Biological Research, CSIC
- 2Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid
- 3Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid
Abstract
Laboratory assessment of environmental stressors on wild bumblebees typically rely on workers from laboratory colonies founded by wild-collected queens. In Spain, where Bombus terrestris lusitanicus and Bombus terrestris terrestris coexist, accurately identifying the subspecies of wild individuals used in these experiments remains challenging. Since the 1990s, commercial colonies of B. t. terrestris have been widely used in Spain for greenhouse pollination, and previous studies have documented the escape and naturalisation of individuals in areas where B. t. lusitanicus is native. The present study integrates three methodologies—morphological traits, mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene, and microsatellites—to achieve accurate colony-level identification, enabling the differentiation of the two subspecies and their hybrids. Laboratory colonies were established with wild queens from Almería (southeastern Spain; high greenhouse density) and Madrid (central Spain; minimal greenhouse infrastructure), allowing the analysis of both queens and offspring. This approach allowed to determine colony subspecies composition for studies involving the use of wild individuals. Overall, our findings show widespread hybridization between both subspecies, with higher levels observed in areas of high greenhouse density, which may be associated with commercial use. Furthermore, the inclusion of commercial and historical specimens showed that introgression among wild bumblebees predated commercial colony use, though hybridization is currently more pronounced.
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BibTeX
@article{pardo2026integrative,
title = {{An integrative identification approach reveals that subspecies hybridization in Bombus terrestris predates commercial use and varies with greenhouse density}},
author = {Alexandra Pardo and Pedro Romano-Martín and Nuria Arranz and Marta Trujillo and Concepción Ornosa and Jose Luis Hórreo and Pedro Hernández-Crespo and Félix Ortego and Beatriz Beroiz and Gema P. Farinós},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-62844-1},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-62844-1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - An integrative identification approach reveals that subspecies hybridization in Bombus terrestris predates commercial use and varies with greenhouse density
AU - Alexandra Pardo
AU - Pedro Romano-Martín
AU - Nuria Arranz
AU - Marta Trujillo
AU - Concepción Ornosa
AU - Jose Luis Hórreo
AU - Pedro Hernández-Crespo
AU - Félix Ortego
AU - Beatriz Beroiz
AU - Gema P. Farinós
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/01
JO - Scientific Reports
DO - 10.1038/s41598-026-62844-1
UR - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-62844-1
AB - Laboratory assessment of environmental stressors on wild bumblebees typically rely on workers from laboratory colonies founded by wild-collected queens. In Spain, where Bombus terrestris lusitanicus and Bombus terrestris terrestris coexist, accurately identifying the subspecies of wild individuals used in these experiments remains challenging. Since the 1990s, commercial colonies of B. t. terrestris have been widely used in Spain for greenhouse pollination, and previous studies have documented the escape and naturalisation of individuals in areas where B. t. lusitanicus is native. The present study integrates three methodologies—morphological traits, mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene, and microsatellites—to achieve accurate colony-level identification, enabling the differentiation of the two subspecies and their hybrids. Laboratory colonies were established with wild queens from Almería (southeastern Spain; high greenhouse density) and Madrid (central Spain; minimal greenhouse infrastructure), allowing the analysis of both queens and offspring. This approach allowed to determine colony subspecies composition for studies involving the use of wild individuals. Overall, our findings show widespread hybridization between both subspecies, with higher levels observed in areas of high greenhouse density, which may be associated with commercial use. Furthermore, the inclusion of commercial and historical specimens showed that introgression among wild bumblebees predated commercial colony use, though hybridization is currently more pronounced.
SN - 2045-2322
ER -