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First published online February 15, 2006
Journal of Experimental Biology 209, 978-984 (2006)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2006
doi: 10.1242/jeb.02085
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Visual regulation of ground speed and headwind compensation in freely flying honey bees (Apis mellifera L.)

Andrew Barron* and Mandyam V. Srinivasan

Centre for Visual Science, Research School of Biological Sciences, The Australian National University, PO Box 475, Canberra, ACT 2601 Australia


Figure 1
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  		Fig. 1. Measurement and calibration of wind speed in the flight tunnel. Wind speed was varied by changing the voltage supplied to the fan. Wind speeds at the five different voltages used in experiment 2 are shown. Wind speed was measured using both a fan anemometer and a hot wire anemometer at five positions along the tunnel. At each position wind speed was measured with the hot wire anemometer at nine points arranged in a 3x3 array across the cross section of the tunnel. Additionally the fan anemometer was used to record wind speed in the centre of the tunnel. The plotted points are the averages of these 10 values, and thus represent the average wind speed encountered at that position in the tunnel. A diagram of the tunnel is shown, scaled to match the x axis of the graph.

 

Figure 2
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  		Fig. 2. Comparison of ground speeds in tunnels lined with checkerboard (left) and axial stripes (right). Values are means ±95% confidence intervals for 32 (checkerboard) and 41 (axial stripes) different bees.

 

Figure 3
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  		Fig. 3. Effect of headwind on ground speed. (A) In a tunnel lined with a checkerboard pattern. (B) In a tunnel lined with axial stripes. In both cases, the data show mean ground speeds ±95% confidence intervals. At each wind speed five flights were recorded for >30 different bees.

 

Figure 4
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  		Fig. 4. Comparison of ground speeds in axial-striped tunnels of different widths. Values are means ±95% confidence interval: N=26 and 36 bees for the 21 cm and 11.5 cm wide tunnels, respectively.

 

Figure 5
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  		Fig. 5. Ground speed in a tunnel with moving axial stripe patterns. Bees flew through a transparent tunnel placed between two conveyor belts that moved the axial stripe pattern at various speeds in the direction of the bees' flight toward the feeder (positive values) or against it (negative values). The data show mean ground speeds ±95% confidence intervals. Five flights were recorded for >20 bees at each belt speed. Moving the axial stripe pattern significantly altered bee ground speeds (ANOVA, F=15.1, d.f.=115, P<0.001).

 




© The Company of Biologists Ltd 2006