Nest Recognition Research Articles

Individual odor differences and their social functions in insects.

The evolution of individual or subgroup differences in odors of halictine bees is suggested from possible widespread intraspecific variation in pheromones. An important result of such variation may be maintenance of genetic polymorphisms; in nesting Hymenoptera odor differences may also facilitate individual nest recognition. In Lasioglosum zephyrum males habituate to odors of different females and perhaps thus save time by not trying to copulate with nonreceptive individuals. Guards (females) at nest entrances distinguish their few nestmates (other females) from other conspecific individuals by odors, seemingly pheromones. Duration of the habituation in L. zephyrum is at least an hour (perhaps much more) for males in relation to females and 6 or 7 days for guards in relation to nestmates. Studies of pheromones should take into consideration the possibility of pheromonal polymorphism in any species and the likelihood that it may be significant from biological and practical viewpoints.

Interaction among workers from different colonies of sweat bees (Hymenoptera, Halictidae)

Summary Lasioglossum versatum , a bee whose colonies occur in small, dense aggregations, shows tolerance and some interactions among individuals of different colonies and thus social activity at a level above that usual among social insects. Guards admit individuals from any colony. Burrows made by different colonies sometimes interconnect. Most or all workers are attached primarily to one colony but often enter others. When they do so, they frequently leave immediately but may remain and may leave pollen loads, probably being stimulated to do so by cues such as they would encounter in their own nests. The result must be a certain degree of cooperative interaction among colonies. However, advantages of such interaction are not obvious and visits to wrong nests probably result from errors in nest recognition.