Journal
APIDOLOGIE
Volume 39, Issue 6, Pages 714-722Publisher
SPRINGER FRANCE
DOI: 10.1051/apido:2008053
Keywords
Apis mellifera; honeybee; olfactory learning; long-term memory; foraging choice
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Food scents circulating inside beehives influence foraging preferences in the field. However, the persistence and nature of the prior experience that lead to this biased response remain unknown. To determine how long honeybees show a food preference after experiencing a scented food inside the colony, we offered sugar solution scented into beehives. After all the combs of the experimental colonies were replaced, the landing responses of foragers were quantified in a two-scented-feeder situation outside the colony. We also tested whether bees exposed to a volatile compound inside the hive preferred a feeder scented with this odor to an unscented one. Results support the conclusion that the offering of a scented food enhanced the bias to this odor, whereas the volatile compound exposure caused a reduced landing response towards the scented option. These results suggest that olfactory experiences occurring within the beehive can promote changes in foraging preferences for several days.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available