Landmark Navigation by Honeybees (Apis Mellifera) Snapshot Memory and Relative Position

Date of Award

2006

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Bauer, Gordon

Keywords

Spatial Leaning, Honeybees, Navigation

Area of Concentration

Psychology

Abstract

Honeybees have the ability to use landmarks to navigate. Two models proposed to explain landmark navigation by honeybees have been frequently suggested: snapshot memory and compass navigation. An alternative model more commonly used to describe vertebrate landmark navigation is relative position. This study consisted of two experiments. The first had a single landmark array and manipulated the size and distance to the goal of the landmark. The honeybees made predicable errors in search location and search time consistent with the snapshot model. The second study had a two-landmark array and made the same manipulations but for either one or both of the landmarks. When both landmarks were manipulated the honeybees did not make search location errors, although they did have increased search times. Results for the second study suggest the possibility that the honeybees could use a strategy of relative position under conditions of a constrained environment.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

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