Smoke and Target Color Effects on Defensive Behavior in Yellowjacket Wasps and Bumble Bees (Hymenoptera: Vespidae, Apidae) with a Description of an Electronic Attack Monitor

Visscher, Kirk; Vetter, Richard S.

doi:10.1093/jee/88.3.579

Cited by 10 publications

(11 citation statements)

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“…3, Table 1, Exp. 1) support similar results from a previous study (Visscher and Vetter 1995), and suggest that vespines in nest-defense mode respond to visual cues associated with potential nest predators.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…The design of our paired-target apparatus and its recording technology was inspired by Visscher and Vetter (1995) who engineered a device for counting strikes against a target using microphones as transducers. Unlike Visscher and Vetter (1995), we did not use an electronic counter but instead recorded audio files and analyzed them later with automated counting software.…”

Section: Design Of the Paired-target Apparatusmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We designed our apparatus so that it (i) required only inexpensive parts for assembly, (ii) recorded two channels, and (iii) allowed data analyses with open-source software. The paired design was inspired by Visscher and Vetter (1995), who built a paired apparatus, but never used it, and suggested it for alarm pheromone studies.…”

Section: Design Of the Paired-target Apparatusmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Developing a paired-target apparatus for quantitative testing of nest defense behavior by vespine wasps in response to con- or heterospecific nest defense pheromones

McCann¹,

Moeri²,

Jimenez³

et al. 2015

JHR

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Social wasps commonly exhibit impressive, pheromone-mediated nest defenses with stinging attacks on potential vertebrate nest predators. Studying this type of nest defense and comparing results across studies is challenging because there is no standardized method for quantifying defense intensities. For that reason, we developed a simple, paired-target apparatus coupled with easy and inexpensive data recording and analysis technologies. Each target is formed by two conjoined black plastic weigh boats that generate distinct percussive sounds when struck by attacking wasps. A battery-powered microphone inside each target converts the sounds into electrical signals that are transferred to a digital audio recorder. These audio files are then split into left-and right-channel files, saved as 16-bit WAV files, and the strikes to each target are counted using the open-source software SoundRuler. Using this apparatus, we show that workers of Vespula pensylvanica, V. alascensis, and V. germanica strike targets that are treated with conspecific venom sac extract more frequently than paired control targets. We also show that workers of V. alascensis, V. pensylvanica and V. germanica strike targets that are treated with heterospecific extracts more frequently than paired control targets, indicating that the wasps recognize nest alarm pheromones from congeners. These data provide evidence for conserved nest defense pheromones among some Vespula wasps and proof of concept that our technology is capable of quantifying the intensity of pheromone-mediated nest defense behavior in Vespula and other large and formidable social wasps.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Design Of the Paired-target Apparatusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Design Of the Paired-target Apparatusmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Developing a paired-target apparatus for quantitative testing of nest defense behavior by vespine wasps in response to con- or heterospecific nest defense pheromones

McCann¹,

Moeri²,

Jimenez³

et al. 2015

JHR

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show abstract

“…Therefore, many studies that measure the defensive responses of social insects have focused on the individuals that leave the nest to attack a target (e.g., Jeanne, 1981;Visscher and Vetter, 1995). This attack behavior, however, is not necessarily the only line of defense possessed by these insects.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Individual bumblebees vary in response to disturbance: a test of the defensive reserve hypothesis

2012

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Bees may leave their nest in the event of an attack, but this is not their only response. Here, we examine the behavior of those individuals that remain inside the nest during a disturbance. Specifically, we test the hypothesis that bee workers usually exhibiting high levels of inactivity (i.e., 'lazy' bees) may function as defensive reserves that are more likely to respond when the colony is disturbed. We explore this hypothesis by simulating vertebrate attacks by vibrating or blowing carbon dioxide into two colonies on alternating days and measuring the movements and tasks performed by bees inside the nest. Our results show that regardless of the disturbance type, workers increase guarding behavior after a disturbance stops. Although previously inactive bees increased their movement speed inside the nest when the disturbance was vibration, they were not more likely to leave the nest (presumably to attack the simulated attacker) or switch to guarding behavior for any disturbance type. We therefore reject the hypothesis that inactive Bombus impatiens bumblebees act as defensive reserves, and propose alternative hypotheses regarding why many workers remain inactive inside the nest.

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“…Despite Bombus pennsylvanicus Degeer being one of the most abundant and widely distributed bumblebee species in North America, there are a few studies on their phenology and behavior (Johnson 1986, Goldblatt & Fell 1987, Todd et al 1991, Visscher & Vetter 1995.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Phenology of Bombus pennsylvanicus sonorus Say (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Central Mexico

Hoz¹

2006

Neotrop. Entomol.

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Neotropical Entomology 35(5): 588-595 (2006) Fenología de Bombus pennsylvanicus sonorus Say (Hymenoptera: Apidae) en el Centro de México RESUMEN -Estudiamos la actividad estacional de Bombus pennsylvanicus sonorus Say bajo las condiciones subtropicales de la Meseta Central Mexicana. Mensualmente, durante el año 1998, registramos las castas de abejas activas (infiriéndolo del tamaño corporal medido por la longitud alar), la presencia y actividad de individuos reproductivos y la actividad reproductiva. También se investigaran las plantas florales usadas como recursos alimenticios. Las condiciones Subtropicales de la Meseta Central Mexicana no parecen alterar las características fenológicas de B. pennsylvanicus sonorus, ya que la especie presenta colonias anuales y un periodo bien definido de inactividad. El tamaño de los individuos se incrementó progresivamente desde las primeras actividades observadas, a mediados de abril, hasta el fin de la colonia en noviembre. Las abejas reproductivas fueron registradas a partir de la segunda mitad del año. Los machos fueron observados entre julio y noviembre, y las reinas y parejas apareándose fueron registradas en noviembre y diciembre. Seguidamente las reinas fueron observadas buscando lugares para hibernar. La actitidad fue reasumida a partir de febrero del siguiente año. La actividad estacional parece estar mas relacionada a la disposición de recursos florales (los cuales, a su vez, están relacionados al régimen de lluvias), que a cambios en la temperatura y el largo del día. Algunos de los principales recursos alimenticios de las abejas B. pennsylvanicus sonorus fueron Tithonia tubiformis, Cosmos bipinnatus, Anoda cristata, Solanum rostratum y Jacaranda mimosaefolia.PALABRAS CLAVE: Abeja, Fervidobombus, subtropical ABSTRACT -We studied the seasonal activity of Bombus pennsylvanicus sonorus Say in subtropical conditions of the Mexican Central Plateau. Monthly during 1998, we recorded caste of active individuals (inferred form corporal size measured as wing length), presence and activity of reproductive individuals, and mating activity. Also, we recorded the flower plants used as resources. Subtropical conditions of the Mexican Central Plateau do not seem to modify phenological features of B. pennsylvanicus sonorus since the species presents annual colonies and a clearly defined period of inactivity. The size of individuals progressively increased between the first recorded activity period in middle April and the end of the colonies in November. Reproductive bees were observed since the second half of the year. The presence of males was recorded between July and November and queens and mating pairs were observed during November and December. Then mating queens were noted seeking hibernation places. Activity resumed in February of the following year. Seasonal activity seems to be more related to availability of floral resources (which, in turn, is related to rain regime), than to changes in temperature and day length. Some of the main food resources used by B. pennsylvan...

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Smoke and Target Color Effects on Defensive Behavior in Yellowjacket Wasps and Bumble Bees (Hymenoptera: Vespidae, Apidae) with a Description of an Electronic Attack Monitor

Cited by 10 publications

References 0 publications

Developing a paired-target apparatus for quantitative testing of nest defense behavior by vespine wasps in response to con- or heterospecific nest defense pheromones

Developing a paired-target apparatus for quantitative testing of nest defense behavior by vespine wasps in response to con- or heterospecific nest defense pheromones

Individual bumblebees vary in response to disturbance: a test of the defensive reserve hypothesis

Phenology of Bombus pennsylvanicus sonorus Say (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Central Mexico

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