Stress drives premature hive exiting behavior that leads to death in young honey bee (Apis mellifera) workers.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The Western honey bee, Apis mellifera, is an economically important pollinator, as well as a tractable species for studying the behavioral intricacies of eusociality. Honey bees are currently being challenged by multiple biotic and environmental stressors, many of which act concomitantly to affect colony health and productivity. For instance, developmental stress can lead workers to become precocious foragers and to leave the hive prematurely. Precocious foragers have decreased flight time and lower foraging efficiency, which can ultimately lower colony productivity and even lead to colony collapse.

Materials and methods

In this study, we tested the hypothesis that stress during pupal development can cause young workers to exit the hive prematurely before they are

SUBMITTER: Ellis JT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11600856 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature