A right antenna for social behaviour in honeybees

Area of Science:

• Animal Behavior
• Neuroethology
• Insect Cognition

Background:

• Honeybees exhibit complex cognitive abilities linked to their social structure.
• In vertebrates, brain asymmetry is associated with enhanced cognition and social behavior adaptations.
• Behavioral lateralization, or brain asymmetry, is a potential adaptation for social interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether honeybees display behavioral lateralization in social interactions.
• To determine if antenna preference influences the nature and efficiency of social communication in honeybees.

Main Methods:

• Honeybee dyads were tested using either only their right antennae (RA) or only their left antennae (LA).
• Contact latency and interaction types (positive: proboscis extension; negative: C-responses) were recorded.
• Dyads were formed from bees within the same hive and from different hives.

Main Results:

• Bees using their right antennae (RA) initiated contact faster and showed more positive interactions (proboscis extension).
• Bees using their left antennae (LA) exhibited more negative interactions (C-responses), even between hive mates.
• Negative interactions were higher in RA dyads compared to LA dyads when bees were from different hives.

Conclusions:

• Honeybees demonstrate a strong right antenna preference for social interactions, indicating behavioral lateralization.
• Right antenna use facilitates appropriate social behavior, suggesting a role in context-dependent communication.
• Behavioral lateralization in invertebrates, like honeybees, parallels findings in vertebrates, highlighting its evolutionary significance in social life.