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Research Article
A quick tongue: older honey bees dip nectar faster to compensate for mouthpart structure deterioration
Jianing Wu, Yue Chen, Chuchu Li, Matthew S. Lehnert, Yunqiang Yang, Shaoze Yan
Journal of Experimental Biology 2019 222: jeb212191 doi: 10.1242/jeb.212191 Published 12 November 2019
Jianing Wu
School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, 510006 Guangzhou, PRCDivision of Intelligent and Biomechanical Systems, State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, PRC
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  • ORCID record for Jianing Wu
  • For correspondence: wujn27@mail.sysu.edu.cn
Yue Chen
School of Engineering and Technology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), 100083 Beijing, PRC
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Chuchu Li
School of Engineering and Technology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), 100083 Beijing, PRC
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Matthew S. Lehnert
Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University at Stark, North Canton, OH 44720, USA
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Yunqiang Yang
School of Engineering and Technology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), 100083 Beijing, PRC
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Shaoze Yan
Division of Intelligent and Biomechanical Systems, State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, PRC
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ABSTRACT

The western honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera), is arguably the most important pollinator worldwide. While feeding, A. mellifera uses a rapid back-and-forth motion with its brush-like mouthparts to probe pools and films of nectar. Because of the physical forces experienced by the mouthparts during the feeding process, we hypothesized that the mouthparts acquire wear or damage over time, which is paradoxical, because it is the older worker bees that are tasked with foraging for nectar and pollen. Here, we show that the average length of the setae (brush-like structures) on the glossa decreases with honey bee age, particularly when feeding on high-viscosity sucrose solutions. The nectar intake rate, however, remains nearly constant regardless of age or setae length (0.39±0.03 μg s−1 for honey bees fed a 45% sucrose solution and 0.48±0.05 μg s−1 for those fed a 35% sucrose solution). Observations of the feeding process with high-speed video recording revealed that the older honey bees with shorter setae dip nectar at a higher frequency. We propose a liquid transport model to calculate the nectar intake rate, energy intake rate and the power to overcome viscous drag. Theoretical analysis indicates that A. mellifera with shorter glossal setae can compensate both nectar and energy intake rates by increasing dipping frequency. The altered feeding behavior provides insight into how A. mellifera, and perhaps other insects with similar feeding mechanisms, can maintain a consistent fluid uptake rate, despite having damaged mouthparts.

FOOTNOTES

  • Competing interests

    The authors declare no competing or financial interests.

  • Author contributions

    Methodology: Y.C., Y.Y., M.S.L.; Software: C.L.; Validation: Y.C.; Formal analysis: Y.C.; Investigation: C.L., M.S.L.; Resources: S.Y.; Data curation: M.S.L.; Writing - original draft: J.W., M.S.L.; Writing - review & editing: M.S.L.; Supervision: S.Y.; Project administration: J.W., C.L., Y.Y., S.Y.

  • Funding

    This work was supported by research grant from Sun Yat-Sen University for Bairen Plan (contract number 76200-18841223); the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no. 51905556); and the Open Project of Henan Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing of Mechanical Equipment, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry (No. IM201904).

  • Received August 16, 2019.
  • Accepted October 7, 2019.
  • © 2019. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd
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Keywords

  • Nectar intake rate
  • Glossal setae
  • Dipping frequency
  • Adaptive behavior
  • Feeding habits

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Research Article
A quick tongue: older honey bees dip nectar faster to compensate for mouthpart structure deterioration
Jianing Wu, Yue Chen, Chuchu Li, Matthew S. Lehnert, Yunqiang Yang, Shaoze Yan
Journal of Experimental Biology 2019 222: jeb212191 doi: 10.1242/jeb.212191 Published 12 November 2019
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Research Article
A quick tongue: older honey bees dip nectar faster to compensate for mouthpart structure deterioration
Jianing Wu, Yue Chen, Chuchu Li, Matthew S. Lehnert, Yunqiang Yang, Shaoze Yan
Journal of Experimental Biology 2019 222: jeb212191 doi: 10.1242/jeb.212191 Published 12 November 2019

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