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Polarized light orientation in honey bees: Is time a component in sampling?

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Abstract

Bees on a horizontal comb can orient their dances by a field of polarized light in the zenith even when the degree of polarization of this light field is modulated from 0 to 100%, at frequencies between 0.05 and 25 Hz, with the direction of polarization and the intensity kept constant. The result suggests that bees use a process of polarized light evaluation which probes simultaneously with three or more differently oriented analyser channels. It would follow that, in this experimental situation, time is not a component of sampling.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Zoologie der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Staudtstrasse 5, D-8520, Erlangen, Federal Republic of Germany

    W. Edrich & O. v. Helversen

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  1. W. Edrich
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  2. O. v. Helversen
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Edrich, W., Helversen, O.v. Polarized light orientation in honey bees: Is time a component in sampling?. Biol. Cybern. 56, 89–96 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00317983

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00317983

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