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Resilience of bumblebee foraging behavior despite colony size reduction
Maxence Gérard1, Justine Marchand1,2, Jade Zanutto1,2
1INSECT Lab, Division of Functional Morphology, Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
Frontiers in Insect Science
|March 12, 2024
Summary
Bumblebee workers maintained foraging behavior despite colony size reduction, showing resilience. They adapted by increasing the proportion of foragers to compensate for fewer workers.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Animal Behavior
- Entomology
Background:
- Foraging behavior in eusocial insects, like bumblebees (Bombus terrestris), is colony-driven.
- Colony size is a critical factor, but can be reduced by environmental stressors such as pesticides and high temperatures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if bumblebee workers adjust foraging strategies in response to rapid colony size decreases.
- To assess the resilience and behavioral plasticity of bumblebee colonies under reduced worker numbers.
Main Methods:
- Experiments conducted with Bombus terrestris colonies foraging on Borago officinalis and Echium plantagineum.
- Key foraging parameters measured: foraging time, trip frequency, number of foragers, handling time, and visiting rate.
Main Results:
- Most foraging parameters remained unaffected despite significant colony size reduction.
- Colonies demonstrated resilience by rapidly increasing the proportion of active foragers.
Conclusions:
- Bumblebee colonies exhibit remarkable behavioral plasticity in maintaining foraging efforts despite reduced worker numbers.
- Further research is needed to confirm if this foraging consistency ensures resource collection and pollination efficiency.
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