Effect of the own vs. foreign colony odor on daily shifts in olfactory and thermal preference and metabolic rate of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) workers

Abstract

A cohort of 183 worker honey bees was used to estimate the effect of the own vs. a foreign colony odor on their olfactory and thermal preferences and metabolic rate. Bees showed a marked preference toward their colony odor and a distinct aversion to the foreign colony odor. Both the preference and aversion were limited to night hours. In contrast, the metabolic rate of bees was affected by the odors during the day only, and then the own colony odor reduced the rate and the foreign colony odor raised it. The changes were accompanied by a decrease and an increase of selected ambient temperature, respectively. Altogether, the foreign colony odor promotes aggressive behavior, which is associated with a huge increase in body temperature, while the own colony odor exerts the opposite, calming effect.

Keywords:

• honey bee
• thermal preference
• olfactory preference
• metabolic rate
• nest defense

Acknowledgments

The authors are greatly indebted to Dr. Katarzyna Piątkowska for the preparation of figures and Mr. Kazimierz Czepiela for his technical assistance in the experiments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.