Antenna movements as a function of odorants' biological value in honeybees (Apis mellifera L.).

ABSTRACT: In honeybees, the antennae are highly mobile sensory organs that express scanning movements in various behavioral contexts and toward many stimuli, especially odorants. The rules underlying these movements are still unclear. Using a motion-capture system, we analyzed bees' antennal responses to a panel of pheromonal and other biologically relevant odorants. We observed clear differences in bees' antennal responses, with opposite movements to stimuli related to opposite contexts: slow backward movements were expressed in response to alarm pheromones, while fast forward movements were elicited by food related cues as well as brood and queen related pheromones. These responses are reproducible, as a similar pattern of odor-specific responses was observed in bees from different colonies, on di

SUBMITTER: Chole H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9270438 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature