Paul Cronshaw wrote:
 
>I noted an interesting thing this weekend......
>
>I split a hive three weeks ago, old queen went into the new split and a
>queen cell was left below.  I used a double screen division board and faced
>the new entrance to the side.  I left the split on for about a week...
>noting some good activity.
>
>I then moved the split to another apiary over 2 miles away and left it
>there for two weeks.  Today I moved it back to another spot in the original
>apiary.
>
>Right away I noted lots of bees buzzing around the side of the original
>site.  What a memory these bees have.
>
>I thought that 2 weeks would erase their little computer minds.  :) Not so!!
>
>Anyone else have a comment on bee memory to locations?
 
   Norm Gary covered some of that subject in his chapter of THE HIVE AND
THE HONEY BEE (Dadant & Sons, 1992, Chapter 8).
 
   Two other very pertinent publications on this matter apply, as follows:
 
1)  Patrick H. Wells.  1973.  Honey bees.  Chapter 9 in INVERTEBRATE
LEARNING..  Plenum Press, N.Y.
 
2)  Peggy S.M. Hill, Patrick H. Wells, and Harrington Wells.  1997.
Spontaneous flower constancy and learning in honey bees as a function of
colour.  ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR.  (54:615-627).
 
                                                Adrian
 
Adrian M. Wenner                         (805) 893-2838 (UCSB office)
Ecol., Evol., & Marine Biology           (805) 893-8062  (UCSB FAX)
Univ. of Calif., Santa Barbara           (805) 963-8508 (home office & FAX)
Santa Barbara, CA  93106
 
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*  "...scientists are paradoxically resistant to change, even when    *
*  confronted with evidence that virtually demands change of them."   *
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*                                 Barber, 1960 (in Greenberg, 1983)   *
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