Abstract
Honeybees, Apis mellifera, perform re-orientation flights to learn about the new surroundings of the hive when their hive is transported to a new location. Since the pattern of re-orientation flights has not yet been studied, we asked whether this form of exploratory behavior differs from the well described exploratory orientation flights performed by young honeybees before they start foraging. We also investigated whether the exploratory components of re-orientation flights differ from foraging flights and if so how. We recorded re-orientation flights using harmonic radar technology and compared the patterns and flight parameters of these flights with the first exploratory orientation flights of young honeybees and foraging flights of experienced foragers. Just as exploratory orientation flights of young honeybees, re-orientation flights can be classified into short- and long-range flights, and most short-range re-orientation flights were performed under unfavorable weather conditions. This indicates that bees adapt the flight pattern of their re-orientation and orientation flights to changing weather conditions in a similar way. Unlike exploratory orientation flights, more than one sector of the landscape was explored during a long-range re-orientation flight, and significantly longer flight durations and flight distances were observed. Thus, re-orienting bees explored a larger terrain than bees performing their first exploratory orientation flight. By displacing some bees after their first re-orientation flight, we could demonstrate that a single re-orientation flight seems to be sufficient to learn the new location of the hive. The flight patterns of re-orientation flights differed clearly from those of foraging flights. Thus, re-orientation flights represent a special exploratory behavior that is triggered by a change in the location of the hive.
Highlights
Successful navigation of animals, including humans, depends on the degree of familiarity with the environment and the time lapse between learning and recall [1]
We propose using different terms for these exploratory flights: flights of young honeybees that leave their nest for the first time are called ‘exploratory orientation flights’, while orientation flights of experienced foragers at the new location of the hive, either inside or outside of the original foraging range, are called ‘re-orientation flights’
To ensure comparability of re-orientation flights recorded in the present study with exploratory orientation flights and foraging flights recorded in a previous study [15], all hives were positioned in the same experimental field and only flights recorded during the same time of the year were analyzed
Summary
Successful navigation of animals, including humans, depends on the degree of familiarity with the environment and the time lapse between learning and recall [1]. Becker [12] investigated the homing ability of experienced forager bees transferred into unfamiliar terrain These experiments were later replicated with refined methods by Capaldi & Dyer [13]. Both studies tested animals in terrain outside of the foraging area and concentrated on a comparison of flights between young and experienced honeybees. We propose using different terms for these exploratory flights: flights of young honeybees that leave their nest for the first time are called ‘exploratory orientation flights’, while orientation flights of experienced foragers at the new location of the hive, either inside or outside of the original foraging range, are called ‘re-orientation flights’.
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