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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 1, 2026

Simultaneous Long-term Recordings at Two Neuronal Processing Stages in Behaving Honeybees

Simultaneous Long-term Recordings at Two Neuronal Processing Stages in Behaving Honeybees

Published on: July 21, 2014

Peak shift in honey bee olfactory learning.

Samuel C Andrew¹, Clint J Perry, Andrew B Barron

¹Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia.

Animal Cognition

|April 22, 2014

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Honey bees exhibit peak shift, preferring a novel scent over a rewarded one after learning. This phenomenon, previously seen in vertebrates, suggests a general feature of insect discrimination learning.

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In vivo Ca2+- Imaging of Mushroom Body Neurons During Olfactory Learning in the Honey Bee

In vivo Ca2+- Imaging of Mushroom Body Neurons During Olfactory Learning in the Honey Bee

Published on: August 18, 2009

Area of Science:

Behavioral Ecology
Neuroethology
Insect Cognition

Background:

Peak shift is a learning phenomenon where animals prefer a novel stimulus over a rewarded one after discrimination training.
This effect has been observed in vertebrates and recently in bumblebees and honey bees.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the properties of peak shift in honey bees using an olfactory learning assay.
To determine if peak shift occurs in honey bees when trained with similar olfactory stimuli.

Main Methods:

Honey bees were trained using artificial flowers with olfactory stimuli (mixtures of hexanal and heptanol).
One stimulus was rewarded (S+), and a similar stimulus was punished (S-).
Bees' preferences were tested with various odour mixtures in a non-rewarded setting.

Main Results:

Honey bees showed maximal preference for an odour mixture slightly more distinct from the punished stimulus (S-) than the rewarded stimulus (S+).
This peak shift effect was observed when trained with similar odours but not distinct ones.
The findings replicate classic peak shift features seen in vertebrates.

Conclusions:

Peak shift is demonstrated in honey bees, suggesting it is a general feature of discrimination learning in insects.
The phenomenon likely relies on existing olfactory learning circuitry in the bee brain, not requiring higher cognitive processes.
This study provides insights into invertebrate learning and decision-making mechanisms.