>>Riley et al., however, very deliberately EXCLUDED THE USE OF ANY SCENTED FOOD. And, of course, as I pointed out, HAD THEY USED SCENTED FOOD THEIR PRESUMABLY DISCOVERED DL WOULD QUICKLY DISAPPEAR INTO THIN AIR.

please forgive my ignorance , but it seems, that the omission of this condition simply and only fails to demonstrate whether the bees would reject a food source if it were the wrong odor. I don't see how this would automatically preclude DL, but would only limit the experiment to one that isn't observing rejection based on scent. The waggle dance merely points the recruits and re-recruits in the right direction (regardless whether it be accurate or as obtuse as 180°) and the general distance. Scent is recognized as early as von Frisch as being the final homing element.

However, one of the items you failed to mention is color and intensity of color. Given two or more otherwise equal food sources, the bees tend to select those associated with brighter colors, red and black being selected least and ultraviolet being highest in the order of selection. What are your observations with this?

Just as you pointed out, you can't eliminate a factor, and discount it simply because you didn't measure it.

In forage selection of wondering (circling) unrecruited bees, color is the first impression the bees have. The bees will check points that stand out against their visible field and background. The bees don't know the point is a flower or bit of unimportant color until they check.

There is a TON more about forage selection than just scent or dancing, color, sweetness, etc. All of these factors contribute to a system that works to make the bees more efficient than random scavengers.

--
Scot McPherson
McPherson Family Honey Farms
Davenport, Iowa USA

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