6.13 Guarding And Defence Flashcards
What is the different between a conspecific and allospecific intruder?
Conspecific - those of the same species, Allospecifc - different species
Who are guard bees>
These are workers that patrol the entrnace/ Defensive behaviour is the first out-nest taks perofmed by workers (they are older than nest bees but younger than foragers)
Describe the behaviour of guard bees
They will apporach oncomers and fly up to inspect disturbances by the entrnace. They will guard small portions of the enntrance.
What stance do guard bees adopt?
They will be stationary, with their forelegs up in the air, mandibles open and closing and wings spread.
What is the compoenent in the mandibular alarm pheremone?
2-heptanone
Why is nest mate recongition important?
It protects brood, food and colony resoures. Recongition requires the perception of cues emitted by oncomer to be compared with the template of the colony.
How do honey bees recongise nest mates?
Cuticular hydorcarbons (CHCS) are used. Each idnivudal will have its own profile but so will the colony due to a shared stomach. This provides the colony template
How does the gut microbiome affect nestmate recognition?
The gut micriobiome is blank when the bee emerges but during the first 4 days post-emergence the chracterstic micribiota is established through trophalaxis. The gut microbiome effects the function of the cells that produce CHCs so they alter the profile. All the bees in the colony have the same concentration of certain microbiota
How does the worker’s mandibular alarm pheremone help defend the nest?
It alerts other guards there is a threat. It also has anesthetic in it to immobilse attackers.
How does the worker’s sting alarm pheremone help defend the nest?
It allows the guards to orientate onto the attack.
What can make a colony more defensive (lower accpetance threshold)?
Empty combs, robbing occuring, lack of nectar incoming
What is a domiant intruder?
One who mistakenly ends up in a colony after foraging and has a full crop. Guards will follow them if they smell different but where there behaviour is peaceful they are accepted.
What happens to bees who drift when on orientation flights rather than foraging?
They will need to adopt submissive postion with abdomens tucked in if they wish to get accepted.
Why is it better for a colony to rob than forage?
Nectar has less sugar content than hone for the same volume. If being killed by a guard is low risk then the energetic advantage of robbing is favoured
What is an acceptance threshold?
The maximum amount of dissimilarity between template and cue that a guard would tolerate without rejecting the enetering indivudal.
