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

Authors

  • Italo Souza Aquino Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), Bananeiras, Paraíba, Brasil
  • Maurizete Cruz Silva Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará (IFPA), Belém, Pará, Brasil
  • Alex da Silva Barbosa Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB), Bananeiras, Paraíba, Brasil
  • Charles Ira Abramson Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, EUA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/1089-6891v16i122587

Keywords:

Animal Behavior

Abstract

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.

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Published

2015-01-31

How to Cite

AQUINO, Italo Souza; SILVA, Maurizete Cruz; BARBOSA, Alex da Silva; ABRAMSON, Charles Ira. LEARNING OF PROBOSCIS EXTENSION IN HARNESSED AFRICANIZED HONEY BEE DRONES (Apis mellifera L.). Brazilian Animal Science/ Ciência Animal Brasileira, Goiânia, v. 16, n. 1, p. 14–23, 2015. DOI: 10.1590/1089-6891v16i122587. Disponível em: https://revistas.ufg.br/vet/article/view/22587. Acesso em: 21 dec. 2025.

Issue

Section

Animal Production