期刊
出版社
NATL ACAD SCIENCES
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2304703120
关键词
Osmia; nest recognition; olfactory cues; cuticular hydrocarbons; nesting behavior
Research has shown that visual cues alone cannot fully explain the ability of solitary bees and wasps to locate their nests. Olfaction is also important in nest recognition. Chemical analysis of nest entrances and their occupants revealed a close match in the identified chemicals. Removal of these chemicals elicited a clear behavioral response in bees. This highlights the significance of olfactory cues in complementing visual orientation for precise homing in solitary species.
Flying insects are believed to rely primarily on visual cues for orientation, with chemical cues often being overlooked. In the case of solitary bees and wasps, being able to return successfully to their nests and provision their brood cells is paramount for the survival of the species. While vision has been shown to be involved in pinpointing the nest location, our results confirm that olfaction is important in nest recognition. The large diversity in nesting strategies observed among solitary Hymenoptera makes them an excellent model to comparatively study the use of olfactory cues from the nesting individual for nest recognition. We have analyzed the chemical profiles of three nesting bees (Osmia spp.) and one wasp (Sceliphron curvatum) and that of their nest entrances. A striking match in the identified chemicals was revealed between each nest and its occupant. When the chemicals were removed from the nest, a clear behavioral response could be observed for Osmia cornuta. This shows the importance of olfactory cues in complementing visual orientation for precise homing in a solitary species, thereby opening up various promising biological questions in the fields of sensory perception and complementation, or the trade-offs of nest and associated costs.
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