Phenotypic and neuropeptidergic control of appetitive behavior in honey bees (Apis mellifera)

Neuropeptide activity in honey bees varies with age, behavioral role, and season. The short neuropeptide F (sNPF) modulates foraging-related behaviors in summer foragers, including food intake, sucrose sensitivity, and sensory processing, but its role in other castes remains unknown. Winter bees and nurses are two phenotypes, which are considered similar due to their substantial internal energetic reserves. Yet, their appetitive profiles have never been characterized. Here, we combined electrophysiological, behavioral and neuropeptide supplementation approaches to compare appetitive behaviors across bees of different behavioral castes and ages, with or without sNPF supplementation. sNPF treatment enhanced sucrose responsiveness in winter bees and olfactory responses in nurses. Our results reveal distinct appetitive profiles, challenge the assumption that nurses and winter bees behave similarly, and highlight that appetitive motivation is multidimensional. Specifically, they show that phenotype and season can decouple peripheral sensitivity, central responsiveness, learning performance, and food consumption.