Search for: All records

The use of invertebrate models has allowed researchers to examine the mechanisms behind alcoholism and its effects with a cost-effective system. In that respect, the honey bee is an ideal model species to study the effects of ethanol (EtOH) due to the behavioral and physiological similarities of honey bees with humans when alcohol is consumed. Although both ingestion and inhalation methods are used to dose subjects in insect EtOH model systems, there is little literature on the use of the EtOH vapor-exposure method for experiments using honey bees. The experiment presented here provides baseline data for a dose EtOH-hemolymph response curve when using EtOH vapor-inhalation dosing with honey bees (Apis mellifera). Bees were exposed to EtOH vapors for 0, 1, 2.5, or 5 min, and hemolymph was collected 1 min post EtOH exposure. Hemolymph samples were analyzed using gas chromatography (GC) for hemolymph EtOH concentration. The ethanol-hemolymph level of the bees increased linearly with exposure time. The results provide a dosing guide for hemolymph EtOH level in the honey bee model ethanol-inhalation system, and thus makes the honey bee model more robust. 

Honey bees are a commonly used species for alcohol research due to their genome being fully sequenced, their behavioral changes following consumption, and their preference for alcohol. The purpose of this article is to provide a preliminary examination of the genetic expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and big potassium ion channel protein (BKP) in honey bees following the consumption of either 0%, 2.5%, 5%, or 10% ethanol (EtOH) solutions. The foraging behaviors of the bees were observed and recorded through their return and drinking times. There were significant differences in the return and drinking times between some of the groups. The bees in the 10% condition took significantly longer to return compared to the other groups. Additionally, the bees in the 5% group spent significantly more time drinking compared to the bees in the control (0%) group. There were no significant differences in HSP70 or BKP between the different ethanol groups. Cumulatively, these findings suggest that, while bees may exhibit behavioral differences, the differences in gene expression may not be observed at the transcriptional level. 

Insecticides are a major tool for controlling pest species. Their widespread use results in damage to non-targeted insects, with honey bees particularly at risk. During foraging, honey bees learn and remember floral charac teristics that are associated with food. As insect pollinators, honey bees inadvertently contact chemicals which can have multiple negative impacts. The toxicity of two insecticides from different classes, ethion (47.79 mg a.i. L − 1 ) and hexaflumuron (500 mg a.i.L − 1 ), on learning, memory, and sensory perception were evaluated. We found that oral exposure to ethion had adverse effects on learned proboscis extension toward reward-associated odors and colors. In addition, we showed reduced sucrose consumption and sucrose responsiveness after expo sure. Hexaflumuron also impaired olfactory learning and memory and decreased responsiveness to sucrose and water. Exposure to sub-lethal concentration of the cholinergic organophosphate insecticide, ethion (47.79 mg a.i. L − 1 ), and the field-recommended concentration of hexaflumuron (500 mg a.i.L − 1 ), significantly impaired behavior involved in foraging. Our results suggest that several behavioral characteristics of honey bees be evaluated when testing an insecticide rather than relying on just one behavioral measure. 

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. 

Researchers have determined that bioavailable aluminum chloride (AlCl3) may affect honey bee behavior (e.g., foraging patterns and locomotion) and physiology (e.g., abdominal spasms). The purpose of these experiments was to determine if Fiji water reduces the impacts of AlCl3 toxicity in bees by measuring circadian rhythmicity (number of times bees crossed the centerline during the day and night), average daily activity (average number of times bees crossed the centerline per day), and mortality rates (average number of days survived) using an automated monitor apparatus. Overall, the AlCl3 before and after Fiji groups had significantly higher average daily activity and rhythmicity rates compared to their respective AlCl3 before and after deionized water (DI) groups. One of the AlCl3 before DI groups exhibited no difference in rhythmicity rates compared to its respective AlCl3 after Fiji group. Overall, these results suggest that Fiji water might exert protective effects against AlCl3. The AlCl3 groups paired with Fiji water had higher activity and rhythmicity levels compared to the AlCl3 groups paired with DI. It is important for researchers to continue to study aluminum and possible preventatives for aluminum uptake. 

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) 

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.