The early bee catches the flower - circadian rhythmicity influences learning performance in honey bees, Apis mellifera

Circadian rhythmicity plays an important role for many aspects of honey bees’ lives. However, the question whether it also affects learning and memory remained unanswered. To address this question, we studied the effect of circadian timing on olfactory learning and memory in honey bees Apis mellifera using the olfactory conditioning of the proboscis extension reflex paradigm. Bees were differentially conditioned to odours and tested for their odour learning at four different “Zeitgeber” time points. We show that learning behaviour is influenced by circadian timing. Honey bees perform best in the morning compared to the other times of day. Additionally, we found influences of the light condition bees were trained at on the olfactory learning. This circadian-mediated learning is independent from feeding times bees were entrained to, indicating an inherited and not acquired mechanism. We hypothesise that a co-evolutionary mechanism between the honey bee as a pollinator and plants might be the driving force for the evolution of the time-dependent learning abilities of bees

Das Schw\ue4rmen der Bienen

Volume: 2Start Page: 359End Page: 36

Die Ursachen der Geschlechtsbestimmung bei der Honigbiene u. die analytisch-statistische Methode

Volume: 1Start Page: 441End Page: 44

Are bees reflex machines? Experimental contribution to the natural history of the honey-bee.

"A translation of 'Sind die bienen reflex-maschinen?' by Dr. H.v. Buttle-Reepen. This paper first appeared in the 'Biologisches centralblatt, ' vol. XX., 1900, and was reprinted ... in the same year by Arthur Georgi, of Leipzig. Foot-notes ... marked 'E.F.P.' are by Dr. E.F. Phillips, United States Department of Agriculture."--3d prelim. leafIncludes bibliographical references (pages 46-48).Mode of access: Internet