The Foraging Behavior of the Honey bee (Apis mellifera, L.)

Description:

The Foraging Behavior of the Honeybee (Apis mellifera, L.) provides a focused, scholarly resource for knowledge of the regulation, communication, resource allocation, learning, and characteristics of honeybee foraging behavior at the individual and colony level. Foraging, in this context is the exploration of the environment around a honey bee hive and the collection of resources (pollen, nectar, water, etc.) by bees in the worker caste of a colony. Honeybees are both unique and extraordinary among insects. Their ability to balance conflicting and changing resource needs in a complex and rapidly changing environment has led some to consider the colony to be a superorganism made up of individuals who act in the interest of the whole. This book explores the fascinating world of honey bees in their struggle to obtain food and resources in the ecosystem and environment around the hive. Written by a team of international experts on honey bee behavior and ecology, this book covers current and historical knowledge, research methods and modeling used in the field of study and includes estimates of key parameters of energy utilization, quantities of materials collected and identifies inconsistencies or gaps in current knowledge in the field. The Foraging Behavior of the Honeybee (Apis mellifera) is a groundbreaking resource for researchers and practitioners in conservation biology, animal behavior, entomology, and apiary studies. Ecologists, urban planners, and advisors in environmental risk assessment will also find this book useful.