Apis melliferabees acquire long-term olfactory memories within the colony

Abstract

Early studies indicate that Apis mellifera bees learn nectar odours within their colonies. This form of olfactory learning, however, has not been analysed by measuring well-quantifiable learning performances and the question remains whether it constitutes a 'robust' form of learning. Hence, we asked whether bees acquire long-term olfactory memories within the colony. To this end, we used the bee proboscis extension response. We found that within-the-nest bees do indeed associate the odour (as the conditioned stimulus) with the sugar (as the unconditioned stimulus) present in the incoming nectar, and that the distribution of scented nectar within the colony allows them to establish long-term olfactory memories. This finding is discussed in the context of efficient foraging.

Floral odor learning within the hive affects honeybees’ foraging decisions

“…In agreement with previous reports (Farina et al 2005Gil and De Marco 2006;Grüter et al 2006), the present results indicate that honeybees can form appetitive olfactory memories within the hive and show moreover that these in-hive memories can be retrieved later in a floralchoice situation biasing foragers' decisions. In order to form these appetitive memories, honeybees do not require the presence of food stores to prime the retrieval of a previously learned olfactory memory.…”

Modulatory effects of pheromone on olfactory learning and memory in moths

“…Learning to associate an olfactory cue with reward or warning signal is thus important for food-searching, reproduction and defensive behaviours. It is well known in honey bees that olfactory learning in laboratory conditions is relevant, as they can be transferred to freeflying foraging, and vice-versa (Gerber et al, 1996;Sandoz et al, 2000;Chaffiol et al, 2005;Gil and De Marco, 2006). Our conditioning results show that tethered Agrotis ipsilon male moths learn to associate a floral odour with sucrose, suggesting that like bees, they could use such information during foraging (Riffell et al, 2013).…”

Plant Neurobiology as a Paradigm Shift Not Only in the Plant Sciences

“…While humans and other animals, even insects, are already out of this 'mechanistic' trap 15,16 which can be traced back to Descartes, 17 plants are still considered to act only in predetermined automatic fashions, as mechanical devices devoid of any possibility for choice and planning of their activities. Yet, it is also obvious that living systems, whether single cells or whole complex organisms like animals and plants, are not machines and automata which respond to external signals via a limited set of predefined responses and automatic reflexes.…”