Foraging by honeybees on Carduus acanthoides: pattern and efficiency

Abstract. The relationship between the fluctuation in total quantity of sugar available in the nectar of Carduus acanthoides inflorescences and the foraging behaviour of honeybees Apis mellifera ligustica was studied in a patch under natural conditions. Every day, three inflorescence populations coe...

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Autores principales: Giurfa, M., Nunez, J.A.
Formato: JOUR
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bee
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_03076946_v17_n4_p326_Giurfa
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spelling todo:paper_03076946_v17_n4_p326_Giurfa2023-10-03T15:22:38Z Foraging by honeybees on Carduus acanthoides: pattern and efficiency Giurfa, M. Nunez, J.A. Apis mellifera Carduus acanthoides flower age effects foraging behaviour inflorescence choice bee foraging behaviour honeybee nectar thistle Apis mellifera ligustica Carduus acanthoides Abstract. The relationship between the fluctuation in total quantity of sugar available in the nectar of Carduus acanthoides inflorescences and the foraging behaviour of honeybees Apis mellifera ligustica was studied in a patch under natural conditions. Every day, three inflorescence populations coexisted, one for each day of the inflorescence life‐span. The maximum availability of sugar occurred in second‐day capitula from 12.00 to 15.00 hours. Bee arrivals at the patch were positively correlated with the total availability of sugar as determined by sampling. Bees responded to variation in the availability of sugar by visiting the inflorescence stage that was most rewarding at that time of day. Early in the morning, when the frequency of visits was low, the bees worked the third‐day capitula, which were the best available choice at that time. Similarly, beginning at 12.00 hours, bees switched to second‐day capitula. At the end of the day, some bees switched to third‐day capitula where a slightly superior quantity of sugar could be obtained from a small number of florets although other bees continued to work the second‐day capitula. Individual bees switched to another inflorescence stage after a high proportion of their visits to a small number of capitula of one kind had provided a low reward. The number of florets visited per minute per bee varied throughout the day and was positively correlated with the availability of sugar. Copyright © 1992, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved Fil:Giurfa, M. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. Fil:Nunez, J.A. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentina. JOUR info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/ar http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_03076946_v17_n4_p326_Giurfa
institution Universidad de Buenos Aires
institution_str I-28
repository_str R-134
collection Biblioteca Digital - Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (UBA)
topic Apis mellifera
Carduus acanthoides
flower age effects
foraging behaviour
inflorescence choice
bee
foraging behaviour
honeybee
nectar
thistle
Apis mellifera ligustica
Carduus acanthoides
spellingShingle Apis mellifera
Carduus acanthoides
flower age effects
foraging behaviour
inflorescence choice
bee
foraging behaviour
honeybee
nectar
thistle
Apis mellifera ligustica
Carduus acanthoides
Giurfa, M.
Nunez, J.A.
Foraging by honeybees on Carduus acanthoides: pattern and efficiency
topic_facet Apis mellifera
Carduus acanthoides
flower age effects
foraging behaviour
inflorescence choice
bee
foraging behaviour
honeybee
nectar
thistle
Apis mellifera ligustica
Carduus acanthoides
description Abstract. The relationship between the fluctuation in total quantity of sugar available in the nectar of Carduus acanthoides inflorescences and the foraging behaviour of honeybees Apis mellifera ligustica was studied in a patch under natural conditions. Every day, three inflorescence populations coexisted, one for each day of the inflorescence life‐span. The maximum availability of sugar occurred in second‐day capitula from 12.00 to 15.00 hours. Bee arrivals at the patch were positively correlated with the total availability of sugar as determined by sampling. Bees responded to variation in the availability of sugar by visiting the inflorescence stage that was most rewarding at that time of day. Early in the morning, when the frequency of visits was low, the bees worked the third‐day capitula, which were the best available choice at that time. Similarly, beginning at 12.00 hours, bees switched to second‐day capitula. At the end of the day, some bees switched to third‐day capitula where a slightly superior quantity of sugar could be obtained from a small number of florets although other bees continued to work the second‐day capitula. Individual bees switched to another inflorescence stage after a high proportion of their visits to a small number of capitula of one kind had provided a low reward. The number of florets visited per minute per bee varied throughout the day and was positively correlated with the availability of sugar. Copyright © 1992, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved
format JOUR
author Giurfa, M.
Nunez, J.A.
author_facet Giurfa, M.
Nunez, J.A.
author_sort Giurfa, M.
title Foraging by honeybees on Carduus acanthoides: pattern and efficiency
title_short Foraging by honeybees on Carduus acanthoides: pattern and efficiency
title_full Foraging by honeybees on Carduus acanthoides: pattern and efficiency
title_fullStr Foraging by honeybees on Carduus acanthoides: pattern and efficiency
title_full_unstemmed Foraging by honeybees on Carduus acanthoides: pattern and efficiency
title_sort foraging by honeybees on carduus acanthoides: pattern and efficiency
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12110/paper_03076946_v17_n4_p326_Giurfa
work_keys_str_mv AT giurfam foragingbyhoneybeesoncarduusacanthoidespatternandefficiency
AT nunezja foragingbyhoneybeesoncarduusacanthoidespatternandefficiency
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