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Exposure to thymol decreased phototactic behaviour in the honeybee (Apis mellifera) in laboratory conditions

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Abstract

The effects of the terpenoid thymol were evaluated on the phototactic behaviour of the adult honeybee (Apis mellifera) 1 and 24 h after a topical application. The behaviour was quantified under different light intensities by measuring the time spent in the light source area and in areas opposite the source. Stimuli of 200 lx induced positive phototaxis of the bees. Thymol administered at 1 ng/bee had no effect on the phototaxic behaviour while bees that had received 10 or 100 ng thymol 1 h before the test were less attracted by the 200-lx stimulus. The effect of thymol increased when the phototaxic behaviour was tested 24 h after the topical application. However, with a light intensity of 400 lx the dose 10 ng/bee was ineffective and for 600 lx the phototaxic behaviour of the bees was not modified by the exposure to thymol.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank Dr. M. Lambin, V. Britten from ADAM and B. Duquesnoy for technical assistance in the early stages of the experiments. P. Winterton’s advice improved the English of the manuscript. The work was supported by the Conseil Régional Midi-Pyrénées, the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and the Centre Universitaire de Formation et de Recherche J.F. Champollion (Project 10051284).

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Correspondence to Catherine Armengaud.

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Manuscript editor: Bernd Grünewald

L’exposition au thymol réduit le comportement phototactique des abeilles ( Apis mellifera ) en conditions de laboratoire

Thymol / abeille / phototactisme / essai en laboratoire

Thymolkontakt verringert das phototaktische Verhalten der Honigbiene ( Apis mellifera ) unter Laborbedingungen

Thymol / Honigbiene / Phototaxis / Labor / Bio-Assay

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Bergougnoux, M., Treilhou, M. & Armengaud, C. Exposure to thymol decreased phototactic behaviour in the honeybee (Apis mellifera) in laboratory conditions. Apidologie 44, 82–89 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-012-0158-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-012-0158-5

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