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The final moments of landing in bumblebees, Bombus terrestris.

Reber, Therese LU ; Baird, Emily LU and Dacke, Marie LU (2016) In Journal of Comparative Physiology A: Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology
Abstract
In comparison to other insects, like honeybees, bumblebees are very effective pollinators. Even though landing is a crucial part of pollination, little is known about how bumblebees orchestrate the final, critical moments of landing. Here, we use high-speed recordings to capture the fine details of the landing behaviour of free-flying bumblebees (Bombus terrestris), while landing on a flat platform with different orientations. We find that the bees have a fairly constant body and head orientation at the moment of leg extension, irrespective of platform tilt. At the same moment in time, the distance to the platform is held constant at around 8 mm (with the exception of low platform tilts). The orientation of the antennae and the first... (More)
In comparison to other insects, like honeybees, bumblebees are very effective pollinators. Even though landing is a crucial part of pollination, little is known about how bumblebees orchestrate the final, critical moments of landing. Here, we use high-speed recordings to capture the fine details of the landing behaviour of free-flying bumblebees (Bombus terrestris), while landing on a flat platform with different orientations. We find that the bees have a fairly constant body and head orientation at the moment of leg extension, irrespective of platform tilt. At the same moment in time, the distance to the platform is held constant at around 8 mm (with the exception of low platform tilts). The orientation of the antennae and the first appendage that touches the platform vary between platform orientations, while the duration of the hover phase does not. Overall, the final moments of landing in bumblebees and their close relatives, the honeybees, are similar. However, the distance to the platform at the moment of leg extension and the duration of the hover phase are different in bumblebees and honeybees, suggesting that they are primarily adapted to land on surfaces with different orientations. (Less)
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type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Comparative Physiology A: Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • pmid:26868924
  • scopus:84957650377
  • wos:000373183000003
  • pmid:26868924
ISSN
1432-1351
DOI
10.1007/s00359-016-1073-4
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
64f01d93-b318-4978-bafe-f4537481fa9e (old id 8825715)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:11:32
date last changed
2022-02-04 02:58:02
@article{64f01d93-b318-4978-bafe-f4537481fa9e,
  abstract     = {{In comparison to other insects, like honeybees, bumblebees are very effective pollinators. Even though landing is a crucial part of pollination, little is known about how bumblebees orchestrate the final, critical moments of landing. Here, we use high-speed recordings to capture the fine details of the landing behaviour of free-flying bumblebees (Bombus terrestris), while landing on a flat platform with different orientations. We find that the bees have a fairly constant body and head orientation at the moment of leg extension, irrespective of platform tilt. At the same moment in time, the distance to the platform is held constant at around 8 mm (with the exception of low platform tilts). The orientation of the antennae and the first appendage that touches the platform vary between platform orientations, while the duration of the hover phase does not. Overall, the final moments of landing in bumblebees and their close relatives, the honeybees, are similar. However, the distance to the platform at the moment of leg extension and the duration of the hover phase are different in bumblebees and honeybees, suggesting that they are primarily adapted to land on surfaces with different orientations.}},
  author       = {{Reber, Therese and Baird, Emily and Dacke, Marie}},
  issn         = {{1432-1351}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{02}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Journal of Comparative Physiology A: Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology}},
  title        = {{The final moments of landing in bumblebees, Bombus terrestris.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00359-016-1073-4}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s00359-016-1073-4}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}