Waggle dances in absconding colonies of the red dwarf honeybee, Apis florea
Journal article
Authors/Editors
Strategic Research Themes
No matching items found.
Publication Details
Author list: Duangphakdee O., Hepburn H.R., Radloff S.E., Pirk C.W.W., Rodim P., Wongsiri S.
Publisher: Springer
Publication year: 2012
Journal: Insectes Sociaux (0020-1812)
Volume number: 59
Issue number: 4
Start page: 571
End page: 577
Number of pages: 7
ISSN: 0020-1812
eISSN: 1420-9098
Languages: English-Great Britain (EN-GB)
View in Web of Science | View on publisher site | View citing articles in Web of Science
Abstract
The directional information encoded in the waggle dances of absconding colonies of Apis florea shows how different sites are advertised during decision-making. Colonies of A. florea were observed from the inception of absconding until the swarm settled at a new nest site. The number of waggle dancers at the beginning of the absconding sequence was low, gradually increased and then declined shortly before liftoff. During the last 2 to 0.5 h before liftoff, the dances still indicated different directions. This significantly decreased in the last 0.5 h until only one or two dance directions were being advertised. All colonies reached a near consensus in the last 20 dances before liftoff. The swarm flight path is meandering so the actual distance flown is about twice that indicated by the dances. During the last 3 min the waggle dance in most colonies showed nest target angles that were closely clustered indicating that the final directions advertised were close to the chosen target site. In all absconding/migratory species of honeybees thus far studied, there is a special dance associated with absconding that appears not to select specific destinations but rather a particular direction in search of a new nesting area. ฉ 2012 International Union for the Study of Social Insects (IUSSI).
Keywords
Absconding, Apis florea, Nest site, Waggle dance