IFIBYNE   05513
INSTITUTO DE FISIOLOGIA, BIOLOGIA MOLECULAR Y NEUROCIENCIAS
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
artículos
Título:
Nectar distribution and its relation to food quality in honeybee (Apis mellifera) colonies
Autor/es:
GRÜTER, CHRISTOPH; FARINA, WALTER M
Revista:
INSECTES SOCIAUX
Editorial:
Springer
Referencias:
Lugar: Bruselas; Año: 2007 p. 87 - 91
ISSN:
0020-1812
Resumen:
In honeybees (Apis mellifera), the process of
nectar collection is considered a straightforward example
of task partitioning with two subtasks or two intersecting
cycles of activity: (1) foraging and (2) storing of nectar,
linked via its transfer between foragers and food processors.
Many observations suggest, however, that nectar
collection and processing in honeybees is a complex
process, involving workers of other sub-castes and
depending on variables such as resource profitability or
the amount of stored honey. It has been observed that
food processor bees often distribute food to other hive
bees after receiving it from incoming foragers, instead of
storing it immediately in honey cells. While there is little
information about the sub-caste affiliation and the
behaviour of these second-order receivers, this stage
may be important for the rapid distribution of nutrients
and related information. To investigate the identity of
these second-order receivers, we quantified behaviours
following nectar transfer and compared these behaviours
with the behaviour of average worker hive-bees. Furthermore,
we tested whether food quality (sugar concentration)
affects the behaviour of the second-order receivers.
Of all identified second-order receivers, 59.3%
performed nurse duties, 18.5% performed food-processor
duties and 22.2%performed forager duties.After food
intake, these bees were more active, had more trophallaxes
(especially offering contacts) compared to average
workers and they were found mainly in the brood
area, independent of food quality. Our results show that
the liquid food can be distributed rapidly among many
bees of the three main worker sub-castes, without being
stored in honey cells first. Furthermore, the results
suggest that the rapid distribution of food partly depends
on the high activity of second-order receivers.
nectar collection is considered a straightforward example
of task partitioning with two subtasks or two intersecting
cycles of activity: (1) foraging and (2) storing of nectar,
linked via its transfer between foragers and food processors.
Many observations suggest, however, that nectar
collection and processing in honeybees is a complex
process, involving workers of other sub-castes and
depending on variables such as resource profitability or
the amount of stored honey. It has been observed that
food processor bees often distribute food to other hive
bees after receiving it from incoming foragers, instead of
storing it immediately in honey cells. While there is little
information about the sub-caste affiliation and the
behaviour of these second-order receivers, this stage
may be important for the rapid distribution of nutrients
and related information. To investigate the identity of
these second-order receivers, we quantified behaviours
following nectar transfer and compared these behaviours
with the behaviour of average worker hive-bees. Furthermore,
we tested whether food quality (sugar concentration)
affects the behaviour of the second-order receivers.
Of all identified second-order receivers, 59.3%
performed nurse duties, 18.5% performed food-processor
duties and 22.2%performed forager duties.After food
intake, these bees were more active, had more trophallaxes
(especially offering contacts) compared to average
workers and they were found mainly in the brood
area, independent of food quality. Our results show that
the liquid food can be distributed rapidly among many
bees of the three main worker sub-castes, without being
stored in honey cells first. Furthermore, the results
suggest that the rapid distribution of food partly depends
on the high activity of second-order receivers.
Apis mellifera), the process of
nectar collection is considered a straightforward example
of task partitioning with two subtasks or two intersecting
cycles of activity: (1) foraging and (2) storing of nectar,
linked via its transfer between foragers and food processors.
Many observations suggest, however, that nectar
collection and processing in honeybees is a complex
process, involving workers of other sub-castes and
depending on variables such as resource profitability or
the amount of stored honey. It has been observed that
food processor bees often distribute food to other hive
bees after receiving it from incoming foragers, instead of
storing it immediately in honey cells. While there is little
information about the sub-caste affiliation and the
behaviour of these second-order receivers, this stage
may be important for the rapid distribution of nutrients
and related information. To investigate the identity of
these second-order receivers, we quantified behaviours
following nectar transfer and compared these behaviours
with the behaviour of average worker hive-bees. Furthermore,
we tested whether food quality (sugar concentration)
affects the behaviour of the second-order receivers.
Of all identified second-order receivers, 59.3%
performed nurse duties, 18.5% performed food-processor
duties and 22.2%performed forager duties.After food
intake, these bees were more active, had more trophallaxes
(especially offering contacts) compared to average
workers and they were found mainly in the brood
area, independent of food quality. Our results show that
the liquid food can be distributed rapidly among many
bees of the three main worker sub-castes, without being
stored in honey cells first. Furthermore, the results
suggest that the rapid distribution of food partly depends
on the high activity of second-order receivers.