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Heat shielding: a task for youngsters

Author

Listed:
  • Philip T. Starks
  • Rebecca N. Johnson
  • Adam J. Siegel
  • Meridith M. Decelle

Abstract

Heat shielding is a recently identified mechanism used by worker honey bees (Apis mellifera) to help maintain constant hive temperatures. Only workers perform this behavior; in our experiment, drones actively avoided heated hive regions. Observations of marked day-old cohorts within broodcomb regions indicate that heat shielding is performed by young bees to preferentially protect advanced stage larvae and pupae. As expected, the number of heat-shielders significantly increased with both the temperature of the heat source and the size of the colony. Of the young bees observed to perform the behavior, those aged 12--14 days were significantly more likely to heat-shield than expected. Combined, these data suggest that classifications of age-based tasks in honey bees should include heat shielding, and that the behavior is an adaptation designed to protect temperature-sensitive brood. Copyright 2005.

Suggested Citation

  • Philip T. Starks & Rebecca N. Johnson & Adam J. Siegel & Meridith M. Decelle, 2005. "Heat shielding: a task for youngsters," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 16(1), pages 128-132, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:beheco:v:16:y:2005:i:1:p:128-132
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/beheco/arh124
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