LEARNING OF PROBOSCIS EXTENSION IN HARNESSED AFRICANIZED HONEY BEE DRONES (Apis mellifera L.)

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Aquino, Italo Souza
Publication Date: 2015
Other Authors: Silva, Maurizete Cruz, Barbosa, Alex da Silva, Abramson, Charles Ira
Format: Article
Language: por
Source: Ciência animal brasileira (Online)
Download full: https://revistas.ufg.br/vet/article/view/22587
Summary: Studies on the olfactive learning in honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) are predominantly performed with worker bees. In this study, we used the classical conditioning of proboscis extension (PER) to evaluate the effectiveness of 5 scents as conditioned stimuli (CS). Ten groups of 20 drones (A. mellifera L.) each were used. The conditioned stimuli were the odors of Citral, Hexanal, Geraniol, beeswax (comb), and beeswax (foundation sheet). In addition to the acquisition of learning, we measured the persistence of conditioning when the unconditioned stimulus was no longer presented (i.e., extinction). The intertrial interval, the CS duration and US duration were 10 min, 2 sec, and 3 sec, respectively. The drones were able to demonstrate conditioning and storage of information. Citral, Hexanal, and beeswax (comb) were the most efficient stimuli in classical conditioning with drones.Keywords: bees; classical conditioning; odors.