I forward to the list the following response from William F. Towne who has
researched the roll of sound in honeybee communication.
 
Robert Hawkes
West Chester,  Pennsylvania
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From: William F. Towne
To: Hawkes, Robert
Subject: Hearing in bees
Date: Wednesday, February 07, 1996 11:26AM
 
Hi Bob.
 
I do not subscribe to BEE-L, but I will reply here to your recent
inquiry. You are welocme to forward it if you think BEE-L subscribers
would be interested.
 
We now know that bees can detect sounds. They receive airborne sounds with
their antennae and substrate-borne vibrations with the subgenual organs in
their legs.  Queen piping is detected as comb vibrations with the
subgenual organs.  The antennal receptors are used in detecting the sounds
produced by dancing bees and possibly for other puropses as well. A recent
review of these things, especially airborne sound reception, is:
 
Dreller, C., and W.H. Kirchner (1995) The sense of hearing in honey bees.
Bee World 76(1): 6-17.
 
See also the references therein. Another review is:
 
Kirchner, W.H., and W.F. Towne (1994) The sensory basis of the honey
bee's dance language. Scientific American 270(6): 52-59.
 
Hope that's helpful. Let me know if you want more.
 
Perhaps I will see you on March 1, as I will be at West Chester to give a
seminar.
 
Best regards,
 
Will
 ==========================================================================
 
     William F. Towne, Department of Biology
     Kutztown University, Kutztown, PA  19530
     Phone: (610)683-4317    fax: (610)683-1352
     e-mail: [log in to unmask]