Events Detail

Speaker:
Morgane Nouvian, University of Konstanz

This event is part of an event series „CASCB Seminar Series“.

Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/96169503305

Meeting-ID: 961 6950 3305

Social regulation of stinging behaviour in honeybees

Honeybees defend their nest against large predators thanks to a collective effort to harass and sting the intruder. Typically the threat is detected by a few bees, which then need to quickly mobilize their nestmates into a defensive response. At the core of this recruitment is the sting alarm pheromone (SAP), a complex odour blend released when the bees' stinger is exposed. The SAP attracts and primes nearby workers for attack, thus providing a seemingly simple communication channel during defensive events. In this talk, I will present recent data showing that the behaviour of bees receiving this signal is actually dependent on a number of factors, both internal and external. As a result, recruitment by SAP and stinging behaviour are finely tuned by the social context. These plastic responses are likely necessary for honeybees to achieve an adaptive and coordinated defence of their nest.