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Queen-worker behavior and nesmate interactions in young colonies ofLasioglossum Zephyrum

Le comportement des reines et des ouvrières et leurs interactions dans des jeunes colonies deLasioglossum zephyrum

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Summary

Nestmate interactions and caste differences in behavior were studied in young, artificial colonies ofLasioglossum zephyrum. Workers avoided or withdrew from interactions with queens more often than from interactions with other workers. Queens sat in locations where they can potentially influence the behavior of nestmates more frequently than did workers. Queens also made more brief visits to cells than did workers.

It is hypothesized that workers avoid the queen in order to reduce the frequency of being nudged by her. The queen's tendency to sit in locations where the potential for influencing nestmate behavior is high may be a manifestation of her role as a coordinator of worker activities. Frequent but brief visits to cells may provide the queen with up-todate information on the statuts of each. Later, she may use this information to modify her influence on worker behavior.

Resume

Les interactions entre individus du même nid et les différences de comportement entre les castes ont été étudiées dans de jeunes colonies artificielles deLasioglossum zephyrum. Les ouvrières évitent ou quittent les contacts avec les reines plus souvent qu'elles n'évitent les contacts avec d'autres ouvrières. Les reines se tiennent en des lieux où elles peuvent influencer le comportement des autres individus du nid plus fréquemment que ne le font les ouvrières. En outre, les reines font plus souvent des visites brèves aux cellules que les ouvrières.

Ces comportements peuvent suggérer que les ouvrières évitent la reine pour réduire la fréquence des contacts avec elle. La forte tendance de la reine de se placer à des endroits où elle peut fortement influencer le comportement des individus du même nid peut être une manifestation de son rôle de coordination des activités des ouvrières. Les visites aux cellules, fréquentes mais brèves, peuvent renseigner la reine sur l'état actuel de chaque cellule. Par suite, il est possible qu'elle utilise ces informations pour modifier le comportement des ouvrières.

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Buckle, G.R. Queen-worker behavior and nesmate interactions in young colonies ofLasioglossum Zephyrum . Ins. Soc 29, 125–137 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02228746

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