Transpositon Learning by Bumble Bee Foragers
Daniel D. Wiegmann & Douglas A. Wiegmann. Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green
State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403 (ddwiegm@bgnet.bgsu.edu)
A transposition learning paradigm was used to determine if bumble bee
foragers transpose flower height. Subjects (Group A) were trained with
repeated choices between an empty tall flower and a medium flower
replete with sucrose solution until only the medium flower was sampled
in five consecutive trials. A second group (Group B) was trained on
the medium flower alone for five trials. In a single test trial
subjects were given a choice between the medium flower and a short
flower, each filled with water. In a control group showed no
preference in this test. Group B subjects significantly preferred the
medium flower. Group A subjects that exhibited flower constancy
(sampled only the medium flower during training) showed a similar
pattern of choice. Group A subjects that sampled both flowers
transposed flower height and significantly preferred the short
flower. Thus, limited flower variability or flower constancy produces
simple associative learning. Bumble bees use relational properties of
flowers, not flower reinforcement histories, to determines choice if
multiple flower types are sampled.