Uma maneira prática de distinguir abelhas africanizadas (Apis mellifera L.) de abelhas européias usando o estado excitatório central, a mobilidade dos membros e viabilidade do ferrão

A key to understanding the expansion of Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera) is distinguishing this aggressive form from its European relative. Current identification techniques have a degree of success, but each has its own set of problems, prohibiting wide-spread adoption and use. This study examined aspects of central excitatory state, persistence of mobile appendages, and a viable sting after decapitation for their use in distinguishing between these two races. Central excitatory state was not useful in distinguishing the Africanized honey bee from the European honey bee; however, appendage mobility and sting viability were significantly different between the two subspecies. Appendage mobility and sting viability are useful techniques for distinguishing the two subspecies, and alleviate the issues of expense, application, and accuracy.Uma chave para o entendimento da expansão da abelha africanizada (Apis mellifera) é distinguir esta abelha agressiva de sua equivalente européia. Técnicas de identificação atual têm um grau de sucesso, mas cada método tem seu próprio conjunto de problemas, tornando-se proibitivo sua adoção e uso em larga escala. Este estudo examinou aspectos do estado excitatório central, persistência de mobilidade de apêndices e viabilidade da ferroada após decapitação como ferramenta na distinção entre essas duas raças. O estado excitatório central não foi útil na distinção entre a abelha africanizada e a européia; todavia, a mobilidade de apêndices e a viabilidade do ferrão foram significativamente diferentes entre essas duas raças. A mobilidade de apêndices e a viabilidade do ferrão são técnicas úteis na distinção das duas raças e atenua os aspectos relacionados a gastos, aplicação e precisão

Use of drones (Apis mellifera L.) in the detection of adulterated beeswax

This research evaluated the ability of Africanized honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) drones to detect adulterated beeswax using the proboscis extension reflex (PER). Two hundred and forty drones were divided into 12 groups containing different levels of adulterated beeswax (100% beeswax, 90% beeswax..., 10% beeswax, 0% beeswax). An air stimulus was included as a control for the possible influence of the air flux per se. The animals were maintained in metal tubes, harnessed with Ducktape® between the head and thorax. The results of the drones performance in PER olfactive conditioning indicate that these animals are able to detect different levels of adulterated beeswax. The drones shown a better response to the treatment containing 100% of beeswax. This bioassay can serve as an alternative tool in the screening of beeswax in beekeeping and industry.Esta pesquisa avaliou a habilidade de zangões da abelha africanizada (Apis mellifera L.) em detectar cera de abelha adulterada usando o reflexo da extensão da probóscide (PER). Duzentos e quarenta zangões foram divididos em 12 grupos contendo níveis diferentes de cera de abelha adulterada (100% cera de abelha, 90% cera de abelha, 10% cera de abelha, 0% cera de abelha). Um estímulo de ar foi incluído como testemunha devido à possível influência do fluxo de ar per se. Os animais foram mantidos em tubos de metal, acondicionados com fita adesiva Ducktape® entre a cabeça e o tórax. Os resultados da performance dos zangões no condicionamento olfativo do PER indicam que esses animais são capazes de detectar níveis diferentes de cera de abelha adulterada. Os zangões mostraram melhor resposta ao tratamento contendo 100% de cera de abelha. Esse bioensaio pode servir de ferramenta alternativa na seleção de lotes de cera de abelha na apicultura e indústria

The Psychic Life of Micro-Organisms: A Study in Experimental Psychology, A review of the book by Alfred Binet

This article introduces the little-known contributions of Alfred Binet to comparative psychology. While Binet’s contributions to intelligence testing are well known and widely discussed in introductory psychology and history of psychology texts, his contributions to comparative psychology are largely forgotten. To acquaint textbook writers and students with Binet’s contributions, we review his 1889 book The Psychic Life of Micro-Organisms: A Study in Experimental Psychology. This book details his observations of the behavior of microscopic organisms. We discuss each of the nine chapters and close with speculation of how his book may have helped develop his problem solving tests

Do honey bees (Apis mellifera) form cognitive representations of unconditioned stimuli?

Previous research looking at expectancy in animals has used various experimental designs focusing on appetitive and avoidance behaviors. In this study, honey bees (Apis mellifera) were tested ina series of three proboscis extension response (PER) experiments to determine to what degree honey bees’ form a cognitive-representation of an unconditioned stimulus (US). Tthe first experiment, bees were presented with either a 2 sec. sucrose US or 2 sec. honey US appetitive reward and the proboscis-extension duration was measured under each scenario. The PER duration was longer for the honey US even though each US was presented for just 2 sec.   Honey bees in the second experiment were tested during extinction trials on a conditioned stimulus (CS) of cinnamon or lavender that was paired with either the sucrose US or honey US in the acquisition trials.  The proportion of bees showing the PER response to the CS was recorded for each extinction trial for each US scenario, as was the duration of the proboscis extension for each bee.  Neither measure differed between the honey US and sucrose US scenarios,  In experiment three, bees were presented with a cinnamon or lavender CS paired with either honey US or sucrose US in a set of acquisition trials, but here the US was not given until after the proboscis was retracted. The PER duration after the CS, and again subsequent after the US, were recorded. While the PER duration after the US was longer for honey, the PER duration after the CS did not differ between honey US and sucrose US

Do honey bees (Apis mellifera) form cognitive representations of unconditioned stimuli?

Previous research looking at expectancy in animals has used various experimental designs focusing on appetitive and avoidance behaviors. In this study, honey bees ( Apis mellifera ) were tested ina series of three proboscis extension response (PER) experiments to determine to what degree honey bees’ form a cognitive-representation of an unconditioned stimulus (US). Tthe first experiment, bees were presented with either a 2 sec. sucrose US or 2 sec. honey US appetitive reward and the proboscis-extension duration was measured under each scenario. The PER duration was longer for the honey US even though each US was presented for just 2 sec.   Honey bees in the second experiment were tested during extinction trials on a conditioned stimulus (CS) of cinnamon or lavender that was paired with either the sucrose US or honey US in the acquisition trials.  The proportion of bees showing the PER response to the CS was recorded for each extinction trial for each US scenario, as was the duration of the proboscis extension for each bee.  Neither measure differed between the honey US and sucrose US scenarios,  In experiment three, bees were presented with a cinnamon or lavender CS paired with either honey US or sucrose US in a set of acquisition trials, but here the US was not given until after the proboscis was retracted. The PER duration after the CS, and again subsequent after the US, were recorded. While the PER duration after the US was longer for honey, the PER duration after the CS did not differ between honey US and sucrose US

Robots Can Train Humans Using Principles of Operant Conditioning Through Visual Reinforcement Tools

Researchers have established new techniques to study human-robot interactions based on current knowledge in interspecies communication and comparative psychology.  Studies on animal acceptance of robot conspecifics in complex social environments has led to the development of robots that adapt to animal and human behaviors.  Using a robot with adaptable algorithms developed by the authors, the researchers hypothesized that, by using familiar visual rewards as positive reinforcement, robots could use operant conditioning principles to teach humans a basic task. The robot in this study independently determines optimal control of construction equipment by capturing the motions from an expert operator.  The robot then attempts to teach those same skills to novice operators using familiar, yet simple, visual reinforcement tools. In this study, participants were asked to manipulate a model excavator using feedback from the guidance system on a nearby computer screen.  Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: simple visual reinforcement, complex guidance, and no visual feedback (blank screen).  To measure learning, participants returned a day later to repeat the task without the guidance.  The group using simple feedback resulted in cycle times that were closer to the expert times than both the complex or control groups and were significantly different end times (p < .05) than either group.    This result supports our hypothesis that, similar to what’s been found in vertebrates and invertebrates, robots can shape behaviors of humans using visual positive reinforcement

Robots Can Train Humans Using Principles of Operant Conditioning Through Visual Reinforcement Tools

Researchers have established new techniques to study human-robot interactions based on current knowledge in interspecies communication and comparative psychology.  Studies on animal acceptance of robot conspecifics in complex social environments has led to the development of robots that adapt to animal and human behaviors.  Using a robot with adaptable algorithms developed by the authors, the researchers hypothesized that, by using familiar visual rewards as positive reinforcement, robots could use operant conditioning principles to teach humans a basic task. The robot in this study independently determines optimal control of construction equipment by capturing the motions from an expert operator.  The robot then attempts to teach those same skills to novice operators using familiar, yet simple, visual reinforcement tools. In this study, participants were asked to manipulate a model excavator using feedback from the guidance system on a nearby computer screen.  Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: simple visual reinforcement, complex guidance, and no visual feedback (blank screen).  To measure learning, participants returned a day later to repeat the task without the guidance.  The group using simple feedback resulted in cycle times that were closer to the expert times than both the complex or control groups and were significantly different end times (p < .05) than either group.    This result supports our hypothesis that, similar to what’s been found in vertebrates and invertebrates, robots can shape behaviors of humans using visual positive reinforcement