Odor information transfer in the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata: effect of in-hive experiences on classical conditioning of proboscis extension

MC CABE, SOFIA; FARINA, WALTER M

JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE PHYSIOLOGY A-SENSORY NEURAL AND BEHAVIORAL PHYSIOLOGY

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2009 p. 113 - 122

0340-7594

A recent study showed that the stingless beeMelipona quadrifasciata could learn to discriminate odorsin a classical conditioning of proboscis extension response(PER). Here we used this protocol to investigate the abilityof these bees to use olfactory information obtained withinthe colony in an experimental context: the PER paradigm.We compared their success in solving a classical diVerentialconditioning depending on the previous olfactoryexperiences received inside the nest. We found thatM. quadrifasciata bees are capable of transferring the foododorinformation acquired in the colony to a diVerentialconditioning in the PER paradigm. Bees attained higherdiscrimination levels when they had previously encounteredthe rewarded odor associated to food inside the hive.The increase in the discrimination levels, however, was insome cases unspeciWc to the odor used indicating a certaindegree of generalization. The inXuence of the food scentoVered at a Weld feeder 24 h before the classical conditioningcould also be seen in the discrimination attained by theforagers in the PER setup, detecting the presence of longtermmemory. Moreover, the improved performance ofrecruited bees in the PER paradigm suggests the occurrenceof social learning of nectar scents inside the stingless bees’hives.