Year: 1954
Type: article
Abstract: Pairs of colonies of differently coloured bees were placed with their entrances only 2 in. apart, and m any bees tried to enter the wrong colony, as if it were their own. Strangers were recognized by their different scent, and their reception depended upon foraging conditions. In nectar flows there was no hostility and the bees of both colonies mingled indiscriminately. In fairly good conditions there was no hostility, but partial separation was maintained through the discrimination shown by incoming foragers. In dearth conditions, when bees try to rob other colonies, all strangers were received with hostility; most were thrown out and many were killed. In dearth conditions marked foragers from one of the two colonies were fed with sugar syrup, but they were nevertheless repelled when they tried to enter the unfed colony; on the other hand, unfed strangers were more readily admitted into the fed colony. Thus hostility to strangers was inversely proportional to the availability of forage; the condition of the community which was to be entered was important, but the behaviour of the intruder was not. These results are discussed in relation to the defence of the community against both robber bees and strange queens.
Author: C. R. Ribbands
Institution: Rothamsted Research
Language: English
Subfield: Insect Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2090729697