The behavioral regulation of thirst, water collection and water storage in honey bee colonies

Ostwald, Madeleine M.; Smith, Michael L.; Seeley, Thomas D.

doi:10.1242/jeb.139824

Cited by 40 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…For example, parental care to the eggs and embryos has emerged repeatedly in invertebrates and vertebrates, and it is often stated that benefits of parental care are primarily derived from enhanced regulation of thermal conditions in ectotherms (Farmer, 2003;Shine, 2004). While we do not underestimate the benefits of parental thermoregulation to embryonic development, high temperature may also increase the rate of water loss from the eggs and maternal protection against desiccation appears widespread in insects (Ostwald, Smith, & Seeley, 2016;Smith, 1997), amphibians (Delia, Ramírez-Bautista, & Summers, 2013), and nonavian reptiles (Poo & Bickford, 2013). For example, brooding behavior seems primarily related to minimizing egg water loss in pythons (Lourdais, Hoffman, & DeNardo, 2007), and the tight physical association between the mother and the clutch may have been a favorable context for the subsequent emergence of endothermy in these snakes (Shine, 2004).…”

Section: Ecolog Ic Al and E Volutionary Impli C Ati On S Of Thermo mentioning

confidence: 79%

“…To date, life-history trade-offs mediated by dual temperature and water needs are little investigated relative to energy-based trade-offs (Dupoué, Stahlschmidt, Michaud, & Lourdais, 2015;Lourdais et al, 2017). While we do not underestimate the benefits of parental thermoregulation to embryonic development, high temperature may also increase the rate of water loss from the eggs and maternal protection against desiccation appears widespread in insects (Ostwald, Smith, & Seeley, 2016;Smith, 1997), amphibians (Delia, Ramírez-Bautista, & Summers, 2013), and nonavian reptiles (Poo & Bickford, 2013). For example, parental care to the eggs and embryos has emerged repeatedly in invertebrates and vertebrates, and it is often stated that benefits of parental care are primarily derived from enhanced regulation of thermal conditions in ectotherms (Farmer, 2003;Shine, 2004).…”

Section: Ecolog Ic Al and E Volutionary Impli C Ati On S Of Thermo mentioning

confidence: 86%

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When water interacts with temperature: Ecological and evolutionary implications of thermo‐hydroregulation in terrestrial ectotherms

Rozen‐Rechels

Dupoué

Lourdais

et al. 2019

Ecology and Evolution

121

109

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The regulation of body temperature (thermoregulation) and of water balance (defined here as hydroregulation) are key processes underlying ecological and evolutionary responses to climate fluctuations in wild animal populations. In terrestrial (or semiterrestrial) ectotherms, thermoregulation and hydroregulation closely interact and combined temperature and water constraints should directly influence individual performances. Although comparative physiologists traditionally investigate jointly water and temperature regulation, the ecological and evolutionary implications of these coupled processes have so far mostly been studied independently. Here, we revisit the concept of thermo‐hydroregulation to address the functional integration of body temperature and water balance regulation in terrestrial ectotherms. We demonstrate how thermo‐hydroregulation provides a framework to investigate functional adaptations to joint environmental variation in temperature and water availability, and potential physiological and/or behavioral conflicts between thermoregulation and hydroregulation. We extend the classical cost–benefit model of thermoregulation in ectotherms to highlight the adaptive evolution of optimal thermo‐hydroregulation strategies. Critical gaps in the parameterization of this conceptual optimality model and guidelines for future empirical research are discussed. We show that studies of thermo‐hydroregulation refine our mechanistic understanding of physiological and behavioral plasticity, and of the fundamental niche of the species. This is illustrated with relevant and recent examples of space use and dispersal, resource‐based trade‐offs, and life‐history tactics in insects, amphibians, and nonavian reptiles.

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Section: Ecolog Ic Al and E Volutionary Impli C Ati On S Of Thermo mentioning

confidence: 79%

Section: Ecolog Ic Al and E Volutionary Impli C Ati On S Of Thermo mentioning

confidence: 86%

When water interacts with temperature: Ecological and evolutionary implications of thermo‐hydroregulation in terrestrial ectotherms

Rozen‐Rechels

Dupoué

Lourdais

et al. 2019

Ecology and Evolution

121

109

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Water plays an important role in bee colonies. The evaporation of water is used to cool both individuals and the nest as a whole and to dilute stored honey before feeding (Lindauer, 1955;Nicolson, 2009;Ostwald, Smith, & Seeley, 2016). However, there was a marked absence of dedicated water collection by colonies ( Figure 3A) in comparison with the results of Seeley (1986), while one of the sugar concentration peaks of returning foragers was in the range of P. The colony-level regulation of the sugar-water balance is important in social insects.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quality versus quantity: Foraging decisions in the honeybee (Apis mellifera scutellata) feeding on wildflower nectar and fruit juice

Shackleton

Balfour

Toufailia

et al. 2016

Ecology and Evolution

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Foraging animals must often decide among resources which vary in quality and quantity. Nectar is a resource that exists along a continuum of quality in terms of sugar concentration and is the primary energy source for bees. Alternative sugar sources exist, including fruit juice, which generally has lower energetic value than nectar. We observed many honeybees (Apis mellifera scutellata) foraging on juice from fallen guava (Psidium guajava) fruit near others foraging on nectar. To investigate whether fruit and nectar offered contrasting benefits of quality and quantity, we compared honeybee foraging performance on P. guajava fruit versus two wildflowers growing within 50 m, Richardia brasiliensis and Tridax procumbens. Bees gained weight significantly faster on fruit, 2.72 mg/min, than on either flower (0.17 and 0.12 mg/min, respectively). However, the crop sugar concentration of fruit foragers was significantly lower than for either flower (12.4% vs. 37.0% and 22.7%, respectively). Fruit foragers also spent the most time handling and the least time flying, suggesting that fruit juice was energetically inexpensive to collect. We interpret honeybee foraging decisions in the context of existing foraging models and consider how nest‐patch distance may be a key factor for central place foragers choosing between resources of contrasting quality and quantity. We also discuss how dilute solutions, such as fruit juice, can help maintain colony sugar–water balance. These results show the benefits of feeding on resources with contrasting quality and quantity and that even low‐quality resources have value.

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“…This is a normal, routine operation in the nest and hence a factor in the thermoregulation of the colony. In the numerous discussions on how water is collected and used for thermoregulation [9][10][11][12][13][14], the only parallels drawn between water & 2019 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal efficiency extends distance and variety for honeybee foragers: analysis of the energetics of nectar collection and desiccation by Apis mellifera

Mitchell

2019

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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The desiccation of nectar to produce honey by honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) is an energy-intensive process, as it involves a quasi-isothermal change in the concentration of sugars from typically 20 to 80% by vaporization (honey ripening). This analysis creates mathematical models for: the collected nectar to honey ratio; energy recovery ratio; honey energy margin; and the break-even distance, which includes the factors of nectar concentration and the distance to the nectar from the nest; energetics of desiccation and a new factor, thermal energy efficiency (TEE) of nectar desiccation. These models show a significant proportion of delivered energy in the nectar must be used in desiccation, and that there is a strong connection between TEE and nest lumped thermal conductance with colony behaviour. They show the connection between TEE and honeybee colony success, or failure, in the rate of return, in terms of distance or quality of foraging. Consequently, TEE is a key parameter in honeybee populations and foraging modelling. For bee keeping, it quantifies the summer benefits of a key hive design parameter, hive thermal conductance and gives a sound theoretical basis for improving honey yields, as seen in expanded polystyrene hives.

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The behavioral regulation of thirst, water collection and water storage in honey bee colonies

Cited by 40 publications

References 24 publications

When water interacts with temperature: Ecological and evolutionary implications of thermo‐hydroregulation in terrestrial ectotherms

When water interacts with temperature: Ecological and evolutionary implications of thermo‐hydroregulation in terrestrial ectotherms

Quality versus quantity: Foraging decisions in the honeybee (Apis mellifera scutellata) feeding on wildflower nectar and fruit juice

Thermal efficiency extends distance and variety for honeybee foragers: analysis of the energetics of nectar collection and desiccation by Apis mellifera

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