Multimodal floral recognition by bumblebees

Rands, Sean A.; Whitney, Heather M.; Ibarra, Natalie Hempel de

doi:10.1016/j.cois.2023.101086

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…Flowers provide a diversity of sensory information to pollinators (e.g. color, shape, patterning, electrostatic fields) (reviewed by Sommer et al 2022 [16], Rands et al 2023 [17]). These signals are information-rich; improving detection, discrimination, and learning [18][19][20][21].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioral state influences encoding mechanisms of color and odor integration in a model insect, the bumblebee Bombus impatiens

Graver,

Sommer,

Rao

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Bumblebees rely on diverse sensory information to locate flowers while foraging. The majority of research exploring the relationship between visual and olfactory floral cues is performed at local spatial scales and applicable to understanding floral selection. Floral cue-use during search remains underexplored. This study investigates how the bumblebee Bombus impatiens uses visual versus olfactory information from flowers across behavioral states and spatial scales. At local spatial scales, non-flying animals in an associative learning paradigm will access learned multimodal cues in an elemental fashion - where a single component of the cue is capable of eliciting responses. However, bumblebees flying in a windtunnel shift cue-use strategy depending on the spatiotemporal scale of cue encounter. When both color and odor cues mimic local/within patch spatial scale, bumblebees exhibit a gradient of elemental responses - with highest responses to the complete multimodal color+odor cue, followed by intact color, then intact odor. When cues mimic an intermediate/between patch spatial scale, bumblebees exhibit configural responses to the learned cue - with high responses to only the learned color+odor cue. Thus the underlying physiological state, sensitive to both activity level and spatiotemporal scale of sensory information, is modulating encoding and utilization of multimodal floral cues.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioral state influences encoding mechanisms of color and odor integration in a model insect, the bumblebee Bombus impatiens

Graver,

Sommer,

Rao

et al. 2024

Preprint

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“…Bumble bees provide an excellent model in which to examine behavioural aspects of switching food resources. A great deal is known about cues used by bumble bees to find flowers (Chittka, 2022;Rands et al, 2023). How bumble bees perceive colour cues can be assessed using a colour coding system that is widespread in Hymenoptera (Chittka, 1992;Chittka et al, 1992;Lunau et al, 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Floral Cues and Flower Handling Tactics Affect Switching Decisions by Nectar-Foraging Bumble Bees

Baek,

Garcia,

Papaj

2024

Preprint

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Nectar foraging bees change their use of floral resources as plant species appear in the environment and disappear over their lifetimes. The new flowers used may involve different cues and different nectar extraction tactics. Although bumble bees can adapt to changes in floral cues and required tactics, little is known about whether bees prioritize switching tactics or floral cues when deciding which plant species to switch to. In a laboratory assay, we forced Bombus impatiens (common eastern bumble bee) workers either to switch the handling tactic they were using or to continue using the tactic but to switch the colour of artificial flowers foraged on. We examined whether bees' tendency to change their tactics was influenced by how similar in colour novel flowers were to familiar ones. We conducted a 2 by 2 factorial experiment using artificial flowers, manipulating the handling tactic that bees were initially trained (legitimate visitation or nectar robbing) and the similarity between novel and trained colours (similar or distinct). We found that under most conditions bees preferred to switch flower colours and retain handling tactics. However, when given experience with legitimate visitation and when novel flowers were markedly different in colour from those they had experienced previously, bees tended to switch tactic while continuing to forage on flowers of the same colour. These findings suggest that the similarity in colour of a new floral resource to the currently exploited resource, along with the flower handling tactic employed by bees, jointly plays an important role in decision-making by foraging bumble bees.

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“…The temperatures of floral surfaces, such as petals and reproductive structures, also influence how floral visitors respond to flowers. Differences in the temperature of the floral surfaces between flowers can influence pollinator foraging choices, acting as part of the flower’s multimodal display (Raguso, 2004; Leonard et al, 2012; Whitney et al, 2008; Hammer et al, 2009; Rands et al, 2023). Bees show unlearnt preferences for flowers with elevated temperatures (Dyer et al, 2006; Whitney et al, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variations of floral temperature in changing weather conditions

Harrap,

de Vere,

Hempel de Ibarra

et al. 2024

Preprint

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1. Floral temperature is a flower characteristic that has the potential to impact the fitness of flowering plants and their pollinators. Likewise, the presence of floral temperature patterns, areas of contrasting temperature across the flower, can have similar impacts on the fitness of both mutualists. 2. It is currently poorly understood how floral temperature changes under the influence of different weather conditions, and how floral traits may moderate these changes. Such weather dependency will impact how stable floral temperatures are over time and their utility to plant and pollinator. The stability of floral temperature cues is likely to facilitate effective plant-pollinator interactions and play a role in the plant's reproductive success. 3. We use thermal imaging to monitor how floral temperatures and temperature patterns of four plant species (Cistus 'snow fire' and 'snow white', Coreopsis verticillata and Geranium psilostemon) change with several weather variables (illumination, temperature; windspeed; cloud cover; humidity and pressure) during times that pollinators are active. 4. All weather variables influenced floral temperature in one or more species. The directionality of these relationships were similar across species. In all species light conditions (illumination) had the greatest influence on floral temperature overall, and in generation of contrasting temperatures between parts of the flower, temperature patterns. The effect sizes of other weather variables were lower and more varied across the four species. Most likely, floral traits such as pigmentation and structure influence these relationships between weather conditions and generation of floral temperature. 5. Synthesis: Floral temperature and the extent to which flowers showed contrasting temperature patterns were influenced predominantly by light conditions. However, several weather variables had additional, lesser, influences. Furthermore, differences in floral traits, pigmentation and structure, likely resulted in differences in temperature responses to given conditions between species and different parts of the same flower. However, floral temperatures and contrasting temperature patterns that are sufficiently elevated for detection by pollinators were maintained across most conditions if flowers received moderate illumination. This suggests the presence of elevated floral temperature and contrasting temperature patterns are fairly constant and may have potential to influence plant-pollinator interactions across weather conditions.

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Multimodal floral recognition by bumblebees

Cited by 3 publications

References 69 publications

Behavioral state influences encoding mechanisms of color and odor integration in a model insect, the bumblebee Bombus impatiens

Behavioral state influences encoding mechanisms of color and odor integration in a model insect, the bumblebee Bombus impatiens

Floral Cues and Flower Handling Tactics Affect Switching Decisions by Nectar-Foraging Bumble Bees

Variations of floral temperature in changing weather conditions

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