Abstract
Emergent properties of eusocial insect colonies (e.g., nest architecture and defense) highlight benefits of group living. Such emergent properties, however, may only function as a benefit if the group is large enough. We tested the effect of group size on colony-level fever in honey bees. When a colony is infected with Ascosphaera apis, a heat-sensitive brood pathogen, adult bees raise the temperature to kill the pathogen and keep brood disease free. In relatively large colonies, we show a rhythm to honey bee fever: colonies inoculated with A. apis generated a fever in the afternoon and at night but not in the morning. In comparison, relatively small colonies did not generate a fever following inoculation, although they invested more in thermoregulation on a “per bee” basis than control colonies. Thus, in small colonies, honey bee fever could be regarded as a cost of group living: individuals futilely exerted valuable energy towards fighting a pathogen.
Highlights
Group living comes with costs and benefits (Wilson 1975)
Many studies have examined the effect of group size on survival and social immunity in ants and termites
Short title: Colony size and honey bee fever installation, the facility was kept at a constant early New England spring-like temperature of approximately 19 °C and was continuously monitored (HOBO UX100-011 Temperature/Relative Humidity data logger)
Summary
Some of the most successful group-living organisms on earth are social insects, which exhibit a range of social organization (Wilson 1975). Many studies have examined the effect of group size on survival and social immunity in ants and termites. Following fungal infection, dampwood termite survival is lower in isolated nymphs than those in groups (Rosengaus et al, 1998). Larger sub-colonies of fungus-infected ants showed quicker rejection of waste and lower mortality rates than their smaller counterparts (Leclerc and Detrain 2018). For these studies, artificial groups were constructed in the lab. While such studies have added to our understanding of the evolution of sociality in the face of disease, it is important to consider the natural context of the nest and the social interactions that may occur (Stroeymeyt et al, 2018)
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