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Trophallaxis of worker honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) of different ages

Trophallaxis von Arbeitsbeinen (Apis mellifera L.) verschiedenen Alters

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Summary

Individual worker bees (Apis mellifera L.) of known age (donor bees) were artificially fed with sugar syrup containing Methylene blue as a tracer dye. The donor bee was placed into a group of 30 recipient workers and the amount of transferred food was quantified. Donor bees, at the age of 5–8 days and older than 30 days, fed significantly less sugar syrup to recipient workers than bees of other ages. This was found for both the number of fed recipients, and for the amount of food received per recipient bee.

Zusammenfassung

Einzelne Arbeiterinnen (Apis mellifera L.) bekannten Alters wurden mit einer gefärbten Zuckerwasserlösung gefüttert (Spenderbiene). In einem Alter von 5–8 Tagen und nach dem 30. Tag fütterten Spenderbienen signifikant weniger Zuckerwasser an eine Gruppe von 30 Empfängerbienen weiter als Bienen anderer Altersstufen. Dies zeigt sich sowohl bei der Anzahl gefütterter Empfängerbienen als auch bei der Futtermenge, die an jede einzelne gefütterte Biene weitergegeben wurde.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Bienenkunde (Polytechn. Ges.) J.W. Goethe Universitat Frankfurt/M, Karl-von-Frisch-Weg 2, D-6370, Oberursel/Ts

    R. F. A. Moritz & M. Hallmen

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  1. R. F. A. Moritz
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  2. M. Hallmen
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Moritz, R.F.A., Hallmen, M. Trophallaxis of worker honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) of different ages. Ins. Soc 33, 26–31 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02224032

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02224032

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