| Grant number: | 08/57782-2 |
| Support Opportunities: | Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International |
| Start date: | January 23, 2009 |
| End date: | February 22, 2009 |
| Field of knowledge: | Biological Sciences - Zoology - Animal Behavior |
| Principal Investigator: | Vera Lucia Imperatriz-Fonseca |
| Grantee: | Vera Lucia Imperatriz-Fonseca |
| Visiting researcher: | Francis L.W. Ratnieks |
| Visiting researcher institution: | University of Sussex (US), England |
| Host Institution: | Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil |
| Associated research grant: | 04/15801-0 - Biodiversity and sustainable use of pollinators, with emphasis on Meliponini bees, AP.BTA.TEM |
Abstract
Social insect nests normally have entrance guards that prevent entry by both allospecific and conspecific intruders. Social bees, including the honey bee and most stingless bees, have guards that patrol the entrance area on foot. The stingless bee Tetragonisca angustula also has guards that hover on either side of the nest entrance. Previous research has shown that the hovering guards detect allospecific intruders that produce volatile odours or have a different colour to the yellow T. angustula workers, and that the standing guards detect conspecific intruders after contacting them with their antennae. The project will investigate the relationship between these two groups of guards, addressing three questions: 1) Is there division of labour between hovering and standing guards? 2) What cues are detected and used by hovering and standing guards in the recognition of intruders? 3) How does having both hovering and standing guards improve nest defence? (AU)
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