skip to main content
US FlagAn official website of the United States government
dot gov icon
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
https lock icon
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Explore Research Products in the PAR
It may take a few hours for recently added research products to appear in PAR search results.


Title: Further Studies of the Cap Pushing Response in Honey Bees (<i>Apis mellifera</i>)
Download citation Copy link References (34) Abstract The Cap Pushing Response (CPR) is a free-flying technique used to study learning and memory in honey bees (Apis mellifera). The series of experiments outlined in this paper aimed to test whether honey bees exhibit the cognitive concept of “expectancy” utilizing the CPR in a weight differentiation paradigm. Five previous experiments in our laboratory have explored whether the concept of expectancy can account for honey bee performance and have all failed to support the cognitive interpretation. The first experiment examined if bees could differentiate between the two caps in the amount of force they used to push the cap and the distance the cap was pushed when the caps were presented one at a time. The second experiment explored cap weight preference by presenting bees with a choice between the two caps. The third and fourth experiments tested the bee’s ability to expect reward or punishment based on cap weight. Results revealed that bees were found to have a strong preference for the light cap and therefore were not able to expect reward or punishment based on cap weight. These experiments contribute to the debate on whether bees have “cognitive” representations and continue to support the behaviorist interpretation.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1950805
PAR ID:
10521826
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ;
Publisher / Repository:
Scientific Research Publishing
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Natural Science
Volume:
16
Issue:
05
ISSN:
2150-4091
Page Range / eLocation ID:
45 to 64
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; (, Journal of Comparative Psychology)
    The cap-pushing response (CPR) is a new free-flying technique used to study learning and memory in honey bees. Bees fly to a target where they push a cap to reveal a hidden food source. When combined with traditional odor and color targets, the CPR technique opens the door to additional choice preference tests in honey bees. To facilitate the use of the CPR technique, three experiments were conducted. Experiment 1 investigates the impact of extended training on the CPR response and its role in extinction. Experiment 2 explores the role of CPR in overshadowing, and Experiment 3 explores the effects of electric shock punishment on the CPR technique. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) 
    more » « less
  2. ; ; (, International Journal of Comparative Psychology)
    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. 
    more » « less
  3. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; (, International Journal of Comparative Psychology)
    The cap pushing response (CPR) is a free flying technique where honey bees are trained to fly to a target where they push a cap to reveal a hidden food source. In this paper, we report the results of three studies. First, we provide information on three techniques used to shape the CPR. Second, we provide preliminary data suggesting that honey bees can learn the CPR through observing a previously shaped bee. Finally, we provide data on the ability of a honey bee to recall the CPR response. In addition to the three studies, we also continue to advocate for the use of Observation Orientated Modeling (OOM) for comparative investigations. 
    more » « less
  4. ; ; (, Apidologie)
    Octopamine has broad roles within invertebrate nervous systems as a neurohormone, neurotransmitter and neuromodulator. It orchestrates foraging behavior in many insect taxa via effects on feeding, gustatory responsiveness and appetitive learning. Knowledge of how this biogenic amine regulates bee physiology and behavior is based largely on study of a single species, the honey bee, Apis mellifera. Until recently, its role in the foraging ecology and social organization of diverse bee taxa had been unexplored. Bumble bees (Bombus spp.) are a model for research into the neural basis of foraging and learning, but whether octopamine similarly affects sensory and cognitive performance in this genus is not known. To address this gap, we explored the effects of octopamine on gustatory responsiveness and associative learning in Bombus impatiens via conditioning of the Proboscis Extension Reflex (PER) using a visual (color) cue. We found that octopamine had similar effects on bumble bee behavior as previously reported in honey bees, however, higher doses were required to induce these effects. At this higher dose, octopamine lowered bees’ gustatory responsiveness and appeared to enhance associative learning performance during the early phase of our experiment. Adding to recent studies on stingless bees (Meliponini), these findings support the idea that octopamine’s role in reward perception and processing is broadly conserved across Apidae, while pointing towards some differences across systems worth exploring further. 
    more » « less
  5. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; (, New Phytologist)
    Summary A fewCapsicum(pepper) species produce yellow‐colored floral nectar, but the chemical identity and biological function of the yellow pigment are unknown.A combination of analytical biochemistry techniques was used to identify the pigment that givesCapsicum baccatumandCapsicum pubescensnectars their yellow color. Microbial growth assays, visual modeling, and honey bee preference tests for artificial nectars containing riboflavin were used to assess potential biological roles for the nectar pigment.High concentrations of riboflavin (vitamin B2) give the nectars their intense yellow color. Nectars containing riboflavin generate reactive oxygen species when exposed to light and reduce microbial growth. Visual modeling also indicates that the yellow color is highly conspicuous to bees within the context of the flower. Lastly, field experiments demonstrate that honey bees prefer artificial nectars containing riboflavin.SomeCapsicumnectars contain a yellow‐colored vitamin that appears to play roles in (1) limiting microbial growth, (2) the visual attraction of bees, and (3) as a reward to nectar‐feeding flower visitors (potential pollinators), which is especially interesting since riboflavin is an essential nutrient for brood rearing in insects. These results cumulatively suggest that the riboflavin found in someCapsicumnectars has several functions. 
    more » « less
  • Citation Formats
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago
  • BibTeX
  • Save / Share this Record
  • Send to Email