Degree Name
MS (Master of Science)
Program
Biology
Date of Award
12-2010
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Darrell J. Moore
Committee Members
Karl H. Joplin, Thomas C. Jones
Abstract
Little is known about the behavioral patterns of honey bee queens. To determine if mated honey bee queens possess diel rhythmicity in behavior, we observed them in glass-sided observation hives using three types of observation regimes: focal studies consisting of 2-hour and 24-hour continuous observations as well as scan-sampling of multiple queens. All behaviors (active: walking, inspecting, egg-laying, begging for food, feeding, and grooming self; inactive: standing) occurred at all times of day and night, but no queen showed consistent diel rhythmicity in any of the individual behaviors. There were no consistent diel differences in active versus inactive behaviors or the number of bees in the queen's retinue. This arrhythmicity was unchanged despite daily changes in both light and temperature levels. The arrhythmic behavior observed by most of the honey bee queens inside the colony appears to be similar to that exhibited by worker bees before they initiate foraging behavior.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Jennifer N., "Lack of Rhythmicity in the Honey Bee Queen: An Investigation of Temporal Behavioral Patterns in Apis mellifera ligustica." (2010). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 1751. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1751
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.