Foraging behaviors Variability in wing color in Catocala sp. Development of search images increases effective foraging behavior Stable vs constant conditioning image

Development of search images increases effective foraging behavior Skunks use olfactory cues to find food Experience with food odors will increase: 1.Effectiveness on first trial of day 2.Effective orienting distance

Communicating food location Round dance: food within 10-50m from hive.

Communicating food location Waggle dance: food is 50m-2mi from hive Dance consists of: A figure-eight pattern of locomotion A cue that the food is not local A waggle at the intersection of the eight Indicates distance (duration of waggling) size of food source (variance of waggle) Horizontal (outside) waggle points directly to food source

Communicating food location Vertical (inside) deviation from vertical indicates direction with respect to current position of the sun

Communicating food location: accuracy Angular variance of recruits to target Distance variance of recruits to target

Vertical dance requires a gravitational cues to accurately indicate direction Target location by distance in horizontal vs vertical hives Variance in search direction by distance in horizontal vs vertical hives

Species differences in communication: Clues to the evolutionary process? Apis florea (Asian honeybee) Only does horizontal dance Melipona panamica Buzzing as communication: 1.Patterning = height 2.Duration = distance 3.Flight trajectory = direction

Species differences in communication: Clues to the evolutionary process? Species of Trigona will indicate a find by: 1.Simply buzz at high frequency; this excites others 2.Deposit a trail of pheromones

The adaptive advantage of division of labor in foraging Scouts: get foragers to better food faster than if they worked alone

The adaptive advantage of division of labor in foraging