Honey Bee Social Signals

Apis mellifera, the honey bee, exhibits complex social behavior facilitated by a sophisticated repertoire of signals. These signals enable colony-level organization, resource management, and defense.

The Waggle Dance

Perhaps the most renowned signal is the "waggle dance," performed by forager bees returning to the hive. This dance communicates the distance and direction of a food source.

Dance Components:

• Waggle Run: The central part of the dance, where the bee moves in a straight line, waggling its abdomen. The length of the waggle run is proportional to the distance to the food source.
• Angle: The angle of the waggle run relative to gravity indicates the direction of the food source relative to the sun.
• Auditory Component: Bees also generate sound during the waggle run, contributing to the signal.
• Return Phase: The bee returns to the starting point of the waggle run, completing a figure-eight pattern.

Interpretation by Receiver Bees:

Recruitment occurs as other bees observe the dance and then leave the hive to find the food source using the information encoded in the waggle dance.

Pheromones

Honey bees utilize a variety of pheromones for diverse purposes.

Queen Pheromone (QMP):

• Role: A complex blend of chemicals produced by the queen.
• Functions: Suppresses ovary development in worker bees, inhibits queen rearing, attracts workers to the queen, and promotes colony cohesion.
• Transmission: Spread through the colony via trophallaxis (food sharing) and physical contact.

Nasonov Pheromone:

• Source: Secreted by worker bees from the Nasonov gland.
• Purpose: Used to mark food sources, water sources, and the hive entrance, attracting other bees to the location.

Alarm Pheromone:

• Source: Released when bees are threatened or injured.
• Effect: Triggers defensive behavior in other bees, leading to stinging and aggressive responses.

Brood Pheromone:

• Source: Emitted by larvae.
• Purpose: Signals the presence and needs of the brood. Stimulates worker bees to provision food and care for the developing bees.

Trophallaxis

The exchange of liquid food (nectar, honey, saliva) between bees. It serves not only as a means of nutrient distribution but also for spreading pheromones and other signaling molecules throughout the colony.

Vibratory Signals

Bees produce vibrations that serve a variety of functions, including signaling the need for increased foraging activity.

Tremble Dance:

A signal of discontent within the colony, indicating a need for more foraging or brood rearing. It is often associated with a shortage of nectar storage space or an excess of foragers.

Touch and Tactile Signals

Physical contact is critical within the crowded hive environment. Antennae play a key role in tactile information gathering and social interaction.

Antennal Contact:

Bees use their antennae to touch and groom one another, transferring information and solidifying social bonds.