ISSN:
1572-8889
Keywords:
hygienic behavior
;
discrimination conditioning
;
honey bees
;
Apis Mellifera
;
olfaction
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Abstract To understand the effect of abnormal brood odors on the initiation or control of hygienic behavior in honey bees, we employed the associative learning paradigm, proboscis extension reflex conditioning. Bees from two genetic lines(hygienic and non-hygienic) were able to discriminate between high concentrations of two floral odors equally well. Differential discrimination abilities were observed between the two lines when healthy and diseased brood odors were used, with the bees from the hygienic line discriminating between the pair of brood odors better than the non-hygienic bees. These results suggest that hygienic behavior in individual bees is associated with the bees' responses to olfactory stimuli emanating from diseased brood.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1007767626594
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