Spatial memory, navigation and dance behaviour in Apis mellifera

Navigation and dance communication in Apis mellifera have been extensively studied on the level of sensory processing, but the structure and content of the spatial memory underlying such phenomena have yet to be addressed. Here we survey new findings indicating that the memory used by bees to navigate within the range of their orientation flights is much more complex than hitherto thought. It appears to allow them to decide between at least two goals in the field, and to steer towards them over considerable distances. Two models concerning the structure of bees' spatial memory are developed from new empirical evidence. The first one relies on the integration of at least two flight vectors, while the second assumes the existence of a 'functional' map based on the information available on-site. These findings also raise questions about the process of encoding and decoding information in the context of the waggle dance. We review published data and recent evidence indicating that memories of topographical features might also be involved in dance communication, and point out what needs to be addressed to elucidate the corresponding memory demands. The flight paths of recruited bees can now be traced by means of radar techniques, and thus tools are available to tackle these questions.