The role of optic versus metabolic odometry in honeybee foraging energetics (Apis mellifera).

摘要

Many animals adjust their foraging decisions in response to changes in the energetic profitability of food sources. However it remains unclear what mechanisms animals are using to estimate energetic profitability. This study investigates the mechanism that honeybees use to estimate the foraging costs associated with flight distance. The two possibilities tested in this study are the optic odometer hypothesis and the metabolic odometer hypothesis. I trained bees to fly down tunnels of identical length but differing optical patterns. Thus, I was able to keep the metabolic odometer's measure of flight distance equal between the two tunnels, while producing differing perceptions of flight distance as measured by the optic odometer. Analyzing the dance responses of bees to these two tunnels indicated a preference for the optically shorter tunnel, which implies that they that they were using an optic odometer to assess foraging costs associated with flight. The implications of this study for honeybee neuroethology and foraging ecology are discussed.