Honey bees solve a multi-comparison ranking task by probability matching

AbstractHoney bees forage on a range of flowers, all of which can vary unpredictably in the amount and type of rewards they offer. In this environment bees are challenged with maximising the resources they gather for their colony. That bees are effective foragers is clear, but how bees solve this type of complex multi-choice task is unknown. Here we challenged bees with a five-comparison choice task in which five colours differed in their probability of offering reward and punishment. The colours were ranked such that high ranked colours were more likely to offer reward, and the ranking was unambiguous. Bees choices in unrewarded tests matched their individual experiences of reward and punishment of each colour, indicating bees solved this test not by comparing or ranking colours but by matching their preferences to their history of reinforcement for each colour. We used a computational model to explore the feasibility of this probability matching strategy for the honey bee brain. The model suggested a structure like the honey bee mushroom body with reinforcement-related plasticity at both input and output was sufficient for this cognitive strategy. We discuss how probability matching enables effective choices to be made without a need to compare any stimuli directly, and the utility and limitations of this simple cognitive strategy for foraging animals.

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Honeybees solve a multi-comparison ranking task by probability matching

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2020.1525 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 287 (1934) ◽

pp. 20201525

Author(s):

HaDi MaBouDi ◽

James A. R. Marshall ◽

Andrew B. Barron

Keyword(s):

Mushroom Body ◽

Computational Modelling ◽

Cognitive Strategy ◽

Choice Task ◽

Probability Matching ◽

Input And Output ◽

Comparison Choice ◽

History Of ◽

Ranking Task ◽

Reward And Punishment

Honeybees forage on diverse flowers which vary in the amount and type of rewards they offer, and bees are challenged with maximizing the resources they gather for their colony. That bees are effective foragers is clear, but how bees solve this type of complex multi-choice task is unknown. Here, we set bees a five-comparison choice task in which five colours differed in their probability of offering reward and punishment. The colours were ranked such that high ranked colours were more likely to offer reward, and the ranking was unambiguous. Bees' choices in unrewarded tests matched their individual experiences of reward and punishment of each colour, indicating bees solved this test not by comparing or ranking colours but by basing their colour choices on their history of reinforcement for each colour. Computational modelling suggests a structure like the honeybee mushroom body with reinforcement-related plasticity at both input and output can be sufficient for this cognitive strategy. We discuss how probability matching enables effective choices to be made without a need to compare any stimuli directly, and the use and limitations of this simple cognitive strategy for foraging animals.

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Genetic past, present, and future of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) in the United States of America

Apidologie ◽

10.1007/s13592-020-00836-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Madeline H. Carpenter ◽

Brock A. Harpur

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Honey Bee ◽

United States Of America ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Management Practices ◽

The United States ◽

Primary Sources ◽

Genetic History ◽

History Of ◽

Historic Data

AbstractHumans have domesticated hundreds of animal and plant species for thousands of years. Artwork, archeological finds, recorded accounts, and other primary sources can provide glimpses into the historic management practices used over the course of a given species’ domestication history. Pairing historic data with newly available genomic data can allow us to identify where and how species were moved out of their native ranges, how gene flow may have occurred between distantly related populations, and quantify how selection and drift each contributed to levels of genetic diversity. Intersecting these approaches has greatly improved our understanding of many managed species; however, there has yet to be a thorough review in a managed insect. Here, we review the archival and genetic history of honey bees introduced to the mainland United States to reconstruct a comprehensive importation history. We find that since 1622, at least nine honey bee subspecies were imported from four of the five honey bee lineages and distributed en masse across the country. Many imported genotypes have genetic evidence of persisting today and may segregate non-randomly across the country. However, honey bee population genetic comparisons on the nationwide scale are not yet feasible because of gaps in genetic and archival records. We conclude by suggesting future avenues of research in both fields.

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Digging into the Genomic Past of Swiss Honey Bees by Whole-Genome Sequencing Museum Specimens

Genome Biology and Evolution ◽

10.1093/gbe/evaa188 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (12) ◽

pp. 2535-2551

Author(s):

Melanie Parejo ◽

David Wragg ◽

Dora Henriques ◽

Jean-Daniel Charrière ◽

Andone Estonba

Keyword(s):

Genetic Diversity ◽

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Population History ◽

History Museum ◽

Whole Genomes ◽

History Of ◽

Commercial Breeding

Abstract Historical specimens in museum collections provide opportunities to gain insights into the genomic past. For the Western honey bee, Apis mellifera L., this is particularly important because its populations are currently under threat worldwide and have experienced many changes in management and environment over the last century. Using Swiss Apis mellifera mellifera as a case study, our research provides important insights into the genetic diversity of native honey bees prior to the industrial-scale introductions and trade of non-native stocks during the 20th century—the onset of intensive commercial breeding and the decline of wild honey bees following the arrival of Varroa destructor. We sequenced whole-genomes of 22 honey bees from the Natural History Museum in Bern collected in Switzerland, including the oldest A. mellifera sample ever sequenced. We identify both, a historic and a recent migrant, natural or human-mediated, which corroborates with the population history of honey bees in Switzerland. Contrary to what we expected, we find no evidence for a significant genetic bottleneck in Swiss honey bees, and find that genetic diversity is not only maintained, but even slightly increased, most probably due to modern apicultural practices. Finally, we identify signals of selection between historic and modern honey bee populations associated with genes enriched in functions linked to xenobiotics, suggesting a possible selective pressure from the increasing use and diversity of chemicals used in agriculture and apiculture over the last century.

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Survey of feral honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies for Nosema apis in Western Australia

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1071/ea04222 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 47 (7) ◽

pp. 883 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Rob Manning ◽

Kate Lancaster ◽

April Rutkay ◽

Linda Eaton

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Western Australia ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Nosema Apis ◽

The South ◽

South West ◽

Feral Populations ◽

Significant Difference

The parasite, Nosema apis, was found to be widespread among feral populations of honey bees (Apis mellifera) in the south-west of Western Australia. The location, month of collection and whether the feral colony was enclosed in an object or exposed to the environment, all affected the presence and severity of infection. There was no significant difference in the probability of infection between managed and feral bees. However, when infected by N. apis, managed bees appeared to have a greater severity of the infection.

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The Honey Bee: An Active Biosampler of Environmental Pollution and a Possible Warning Biomarker for Human Health

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11146481 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (14) ◽

pp. 6481

Author(s):

Marianna Martinello ◽

Chiara Manzinello ◽

Nicoletta Dainese ◽

Ilenia Giuliato ◽

Albino Gallina ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Human Health ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Animal Health ◽

Close Correlation ◽

The European Union ◽

National Guidelines ◽

Pesticide Pollution ◽

Tandem Mass Spectrometric ◽

Active Substances

Member states of the European Union are required to ensure the initiation of monitoring programs to verify honey bee exposure to pesticides, where and as appropriate. Based on 620 samples of dead honey bees—42 of pollen, 183 of honey and 32 of vegetables—we highlighted the presence, as analyzed by liquid and gas chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometric detection, of many active substances, mainly tau-fluvalinate, piperonyl butoxide, chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl, permethrin and imidacloprid. Among the active substances found in analyzed matrices linked to honey bee killing incidents, 38 belong to hazard classes I and II, as methiocarb, methomyl, chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin and permethrin, thus representing a potential risk for human health. We have shown that, at different times between 2015 and 2020, during implementation of the Italian national guidelines for managing reports of bee colony mortality or depopulation associated with pesticide use, pesticide pollution events occurred that could raise concern for human health. Competent authorities could, as part of a One Health approach, exploit the information provided by existing reporting programs on honey bees and their products, in view of the close correlation to human health, animal health and ecosystem health.

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Exploring Two Honey Bee Traits for Improving Resistance Against Varroa destructor: Development and Genetic Evaluation

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects12030216 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 216

Author(s):

Matthieu Guichard ◽

Benoît Droz ◽

Evert W. Brascamp ◽

Adrien von Virag ◽

Markus Neuditschko ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Apis Mellifera ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Varroa Destructor ◽

Field Trial ◽

Genetic Evaluation ◽

Phenotypic Correlation ◽

Apis Mellifera Mellifera ◽

Novel Traits ◽

Resistance Traits

For the development of novel selection traits in honey bees, applicability under field conditions is crucial. We thus evaluated two novel traits intended to provide resistance against the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor and to allow for their straightforward implementation in honey bee selection. These traits are new field estimates of already-described colony traits: brood recapping rate (‘Recapping’) and solidness (‘Solidness’). ‘Recapping’ refers to a specific worker characteristic wherein they reseal a capped and partly opened cell containing a pupa, whilst ‘Solidness’ assesses the percentage of capped brood in a predefined area. According to the literature and beekeepers’ experiences, a higher recapping rate and higher solidness could be related to resistance to V. destructor. During a four-year field trial in Switzerland, the two resistance traits were assessed in a total of 121 colonies of Apis mellifera mellifera. We estimated the repeatability and the heritability of the two traits and determined their phenotypic correlations with commonly applied selection traits, including other putative resistance traits. Both traits showed low repeatability between different measurements within each year. ‘Recapping’ had a low heritability (h2 = 0.04 to 0.05, depending on the selected model) and a negative phenotypic correlation to non-removal of pin-killed brood (r = −0.23). The heritability of ‘Solidness’ was moderate (h2 = 0.24 to 0.25) and did not significantly correlate with resistance traits. The two traits did not show an association with V. destructor infestation levels. Further research is needed to confirm the results, as only a small number of colonies was evaluated.

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Comparing Survival of Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus Infection among Stocks of U.S. Honey Bees

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects12010060 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 60

Author(s):

Shilpi Bhatia ◽

Saman S. Baral ◽

Carlos Vega Melendez ◽

Esmaeil Amiri ◽

Olav Rueppell

Keyword(s):

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Virus Infections ◽

Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus ◽

Immune Genes ◽

Starting Point ◽

Bee Health ◽

Honey Bee Health ◽

Survival Differences ◽

Paralysis Virus

Among numerous viruses that infect honey bees (Apis mellifera), Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) can be linked to severe honey bee health problems. Breeding for virus resistance may improve honey bee health. To evaluate the potential for this approach, we compared the survival of IAPV infection among stocks from the U.S. We complemented the survival analysis with a survey of existing viruses in these stocks and assessing constitutive and induced expression of immune genes. Worker offspring from selected queens in a common apiary were inoculated with IAPV by topical applications after emergence to assess subsequent survival. Differences among stocks were small compared to variation within stocks, indicating the potential for improving honey bee survival of virus infections in all stocks. A positive relation between worker survival and virus load among stocks further suggested that honey bees may be able to adapt to better cope with viruses, while our molecular studies indicate that toll-6 may be related to survival differences among virus-infected worker bees. Together, these findings highlight the importance of viruses in queen breeding operations and provide a promising starting point for the quest to improve honey bee health by selectively breeding stock to be better able to survive virus infections.

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Identification of long noncoding RNAs reveals the effects of dinotefuran on the brain in Apis mellifera (Hymenopptera: Apidae)

BMC Genomics ◽

10.1186/s12864-021-07811-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Minjie Huang ◽

Jie Dong ◽

Haikun Guo ◽

Minghui Xiao ◽

Deqian Wang

Keyword(s):

Immune Response ◽

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Transforming Growth Factor ◽

Sublethal Effects ◽

Inflammatory Responses ◽

Noncoding Rnas ◽

Enrichment Analysis ◽

Long Noncoding Rnas ◽

Gene Set Enrichment Analysis

Abstract Background Dinotefuran (CAS No. 165252–70-0), a neonicotinoid insecticide, has been used to protect various crops against invertebrate pests and has been associated with numerous negative sublethal effects on honey bees. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in mediating various biological and pathological processes, involving transcriptional and gene regulation. The effects of dinotefuran on lncRNA expression and lncRNA function in the honey bee brain are still obscure. Results Through RNA sequencing, a comprehensive analysis of lncRNAs and mRNAs was performed following exposure to 0.01 mg/L dinotefuran for 1, 5, and 10 d. In total, 312 lncRNAs and 1341 mRNAs, 347 lncRNAs and 1458 mRNAs, and 345 lncRNAs and 1155 mRNAs were found to be differentially expressed (DE) on days 1, 5 and 10, respectively. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) indicated that the dinotefuran-treated group showed enrichment in carbohydrate and protein metabolism and immune-inflammatory responses such as glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, pentose and glucuronate interconversion, and Hippo and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathways. Moreover, the DE lncRNA TCONS_00086519 was shown by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to be distributed mainly in the cytoplasm, suggesting that it may serve as a competing endogenous RNA and a regulatory factor in the immune response to dinotefuran. Conclusion This study characterized the expression profile of lncRNAs upon exposure to neonicotinoid insecticides in young adult honey bees and provided a framework for further study of the role of lncRNAs in honey bee growth and the immune response.

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Are Non-Target Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Exposed to Dinotefuran From Spotted Lanternfly (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae) Trap Trees?

Journal of Economic Entomology ◽

10.1093/jee/toz176 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 112 (6) ◽

pp. 2993-2996 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Robyn Underwood ◽

Brian Breeman ◽

Joseph Benton ◽

Jason Bielski ◽

Julie Palkendo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

High Performance ◽

Host Plants ◽

The United States ◽

Quechers Method ◽

Significant Damage ◽

Lycorma Delicatula ◽

Bee Colonies ◽

Worker Bee

Abstract The spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula, is an introduced plant hopper that causes significant damage to host plants in the United States. Because of its affinity for tree of heaven, Ailanthus altissima, control efforts have focused on the use of the systemic insecticide, dinotefuran, in designated trap trees. There is concern about exposure to this pesticide by non-target species, especially honey bees, Apis mellifera, via lanternfly honeydew. Therefore, honey bee colonies were established in areas of high densities of trap trees and samples of honey, bees, and beeswax were collected in May, July, and October of 2017 for analysis. Samples were extracted by the QuEChERS method and analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry to determine the presence and quantity of dinotefuran. Additionally, honeydew from lanternflies was analyzed for dinotefuran and informal observations of trap tree visitors were made. None of the worker bee, wax, or honey samples indicated detectable levels of dinotefuran; however, honeydew samples collected did contain dinotefuran above the detection limit with amounts ranging from 3 to 100 ng per sample. The lack of dinotefuran in honey bee products matches the general absence of honey bees at trap trees in informal observations.

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