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Heat-balling wasps by honeybees.
Tan Ken1, H R Hepburn, S E Radloff
1Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Science Eastern Bee Research Institute of Yunnan Agricultural University, Heilongtan, Kunming, Yunnan Province, China.
Die Naturwissenschaften
|September 10, 2005
Summary
Honeybee colonies (Apis cerana and Apis mellifera) defend against predatory wasps (Vespa velutina) using heat-balling. Apis cerana exhibits higher core temperatures, demonstrating effective thermal defense strategies against wasp predators.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Animal Behavior
- Thermoregulation
Background:
- Honeybees face predation from wasps like Vespa velutina.
- Colony defense mechanisms are crucial for honeybee survival.
- Understanding interspecies thermal dynamics informs ecological interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the defensive behaviors of Apis cerana and Apis mellifera against Vespa velutina.
- To compare the effectiveness of heat-balling as a defense strategy.
- To investigate the impact of wasp attacks on honeybee foraging behavior.
Main Methods:
- Quantified worker bee numbers in defensive balls around wasps.
- Measured core temperatures within bee balls exposed to live wasps and false wasps.
- Assessed honeybee foraging activity during and after simulated wasp attacks.
- Determined lethal thermal limits for honeybees and wasps.
Main Results:
- Apis cerana formed larger defensive balls and achieved higher core temperatures than Apis mellifera.
- Both honeybee species possess a thermal safety margin to kill wasps.
- Wasp attack duration significantly reduced foraging in Apis cerana, but not Apis mellifera.
- Foraging recovery time increased with longer attack durations.
Conclusions:
- Honeybees exhibit remarkable thermal fine-tuning in their co-evolving relationship with wasp predators.
- Apis cerana demonstrates a more pronounced defensive response and thermal tolerance compared to Apis mellifera.
- Defense strategies and their impact on foraging vary between honeybee species and subspecies.