Hello,
Boy, this is an old subject I have seen
discussed on bee L a few years ago,
Judging from the responses, I see
it is good to revisit.
First, great thanks to Arron for
being the first to understand my
question when he wrote:
Arron writes
>I think the question
regards the ability for bees to determine "net return" on a nectar source,
ie. forsaking a sugar rich source that is far away for a lesser source
close by.
====
Pete (I think) writes
>I have never seen anybody show that honey bees can even evaluate how
much honey they have in the hive, let alone how much that quantity would
last.
Are you saying, nobody has shown a
colony cannot tell if the stores a full
and they have no place to put incoming
nectar?
Does a colony then keep bringing in
honey, and continue their foraging
strategy when the cells become
full and there are no empty cells?
If the cells are full,
<<<what would be the NEED for
foragers to forage long distance
for food>>> when there is
no place to put it?? I thought Seeley
covered this. And my question
was, Was he the earliest to
discover this fact?
====
Charles Harper Writes
>They will slow down collecting nectar if they have no place to put the
nectar.
Exactly, this is what I wish to determine.
obviously, a colony would not profit from
foraging great distances for food if
there is no place to put it. And would
then, have no need for scouts to search
great distances either. Perhaps then,
preferring 'nit picking' at minor sources
nearby.
====
Pete Writes
>All the evidence that I have seen such as Seely's work indicates that
they adjust only on the economic benefit of the source.
Is it economically beneficial for a
colony to seek sources that are
at great distances, if the cells are
full, and there are 'few' empty cells
available?
Would they not, forsake the distant
sources in favor of 'nit picking' on
nearby sources?
====
Geoff Writes:
>So what was originally suggested is that they change their foraging
distance, not their foraging intensity. As I understand it, a distant
source is not normally as economic as a close source, so bees switch
eventually to a closer source anyway.
Exactly. I would think if stores are abundant
in the colony and there are few empty cells
available, there would be no economic benefit
to foraging great distances, thereby intensifying
the 'stay near home' strategy.
Best Wishes,
Joe Waggle
***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html
Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at:
http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm
|
