A honey bee (Apis mellifera) light phase response curve

Chronobiol Int. 2012 May;29(4):523-6. doi: 10.3109/07420528.2012.667468. Epub 2012 Apr 5.

Abstract

The authors report a phase response curve (PRC) for individual honey bees (Apis mellifera) to single 1-h light pulses (1000 lux) using an Aschoff Type 1 protocol (n = 134). The bee PRC is a weak (Type 1) PRC with a maximum advance of 1.5 h between circadian time (CT) 18 and 3 and a maximum delay of 1.5 h between CT 12 and 18. This is the first published honey bee light PRC and provides an important resource for chronobiologists and honey bee researchers. It may also have practical applications for what is an economically important species frequently transported across different time zones.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Beekeeping
  • Bees*
  • Behavior, Animal*
  • Biological Clocks
  • Circadian Rhythm*
  • Honey
  • Light*
  • Motor Activity*
  • Photoperiod*
  • Time Factors