Research article summary (published 26 Aug 2006):

Phototactic behaviour correlates with gustatory responsiveness in honey bees (Apis mellifera L.).

Full Abstract

The response threshold hypothesis of division of labour in honey bees assumes that individuals differ in their responsiveness to different stimulus modalities. However, previous experiments have shown that responsiveness to gustatory stimuli correlates with responsiveness to odours, pollen and tactile stimuli. Evaluation of these stimuli involves sensory receptors on the antenna. We tested whether responsiveness to gustatory stimuli correlates with responsiveness to visual stimuli in a phototaxis experiment, which is independent of antennal input. Gustatory responsiveness was measured using the proboscis extension response to antennal stimulation with water and different sucrose concentrations. Phototaxis was quantified by measuring the walking times a bee needed to reach light sources of different intensities. Walking behaviour in the darkness was measured to test for differences in locomotor behaviour. The walking time towards a light stimulus, the path length, and the walking speed depended on the intensity of the light stimulus. Responsiveness to visual stimuli correlated significantly with gustatory responsiveness. Bees displaying a high gustatory responsiveness were also very sensitive to light. Locomotor activity did not correlate with gustatory responsiveness. This shows that gustatory responsiveness is a good indicator of sensitivity for visual stimuli, which are not perceived by the antenna.

Learn Faster Today      Improve your study skills

Author information

Author/s: Erber, J (J); Hoormann, J (J); Scheiner, R (R);

Affiliation: Institut für Okologie, Technische Universität Berlin, Franklinstr. 28/29, FR 1-1, D-10587 Berlin, Germany.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article

Journal: Behavioural brain research (Behav Brain Res), published in Netherlands. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Nov; vol 174 (issue 1) : pp 174-80

Dates: Created 2006/09/25; Completed 2006/11/28; Revised 2008/11/21;

PMID: 16934881, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article (including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Analysis of Variance Animals Bees - physiology Behavior, Animal Dose-Response Relationship, Drug Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation Feeding Behavior - drug effects; physiology Light

Light Male Motor Activity - drug effects; physiology Sense Organs - drug effects Sucrose - pharmacology Sweetening Agents - pharmacology Taste Vision, Ocular - physiology

Associated Chemicals: Sweetening Agents (0) ; Sucrose (57-50-1)

Related articles

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

• Electrophysiological and behavioural characterization of gustatory responses to antennal 'bitter' taste in honeybees. 29 Nov 2005
• Locomotion and the pollen hoarding behavioral syndrome of the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.). 10 Apr 2005
• Effects of sublethal doses of acetamiprid and thiamethoxam on the behavior of the honeybee (Apis mellifera). 15 Nov 2007
• Behavioural pharmacology of octopamine, tyramine and dopamine in honey bees. 13 Nov 2002
• Habituation and dishabituation of exploratory and appetitive responses in the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.). 4 Sep 2005
• Visual ecology of Indian carpenter bees I: light intensities and flight activity. 18 Dec 2007
• Responsiveness to sucrose and habituation of the proboscis extension response in honey bees. 3 Jun 2004
• The parasitic mite Varroa destructor affects non-associative learning in honey bee foragers, Apis mellifera L. 21 Nov 2006
• The effects of genotype, foraging role, and sucrose responsiveness on the tactile learning performance of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.). 30 Aug 2001
• Behavioral rhythmicity, age, division of labor and period expression in the honey bee brain. 29 Sep 2001

See 100+ related articles.

Related Article Map

Legend: - FREE Full text Article. - Abstract only. - Title only. More help.

See a large map of 100+ related articles.