NDLI: Effect of group size on the aggression strategy of an extirpating stingless bee, Trigona spinipes

Content Provider	Springer Nature Link
Author	Nieh, J. C. Kruizinga, K. Barreto, L. S. Contrera, F. A. L. Imperatriz Fonseca, V. L.
Copyright Year	2005
Abstract	Group aggression influences communication and defense strategies in many social insect communities. Such aggression plays a particularly significant role in the lives of stingless bees, important native Neotropical pollinators, in which the battle for food resources can be deadly and critical to colony survival. However, the effects of group size on individual aggression levels and the spatio-temporal aggression strategy of communal aggressors have not been fully explored. We therefore investigated how group size affects the aggression levels and the spatio-temporal attack strategy (which body parts, and the amount of time spent in attacking each part) in close combats between Trigona spinipes foragers and a natural competitor, Melipona rufiventris. In all trials, T. spinipes foragers competitively excluded M. rufiventris foragers from nearby feeders, exhibiting four levels of aggressive behavior ranging from threat displays to prolonged grappling and decapitation. Surprisingly, aggression levels and spatial strategy corresponded to the size of group attacks. Larger groups of attackers used individually lower aggression levels than small groups of attackers. Smaller groups also attacked appendages linked to escape (legs and wings) with greater frequency than larger groups, which focused on vital central body areas (abdomen, thorax, and head). Increased aggression corresponded to increased risks for attackers and the attacked. All combatants engaging at the highest level of aggression died (100% mortality). Thus the dominance style of T. spinipes may minimize attack risk and maximize victim harm with finely tuned hostility.
Starting Page	147
Ending Page	154
Page Count	8
File Format	PDF
ISSN	00201812
Journal	Insectes Sociaux
Volume Number	52
Issue Number	2
e-ISSN	14209098
Language	English
Publisher	Birkhäuser-Verlag
Publisher Date	2005-01-01
Publisher Place	Basel
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Group effects aggression stingless bees competition foraging Zoology
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Insect Science

Sl.	Authority	Responsibilities	Communication Details
1	Ministry of Education (GoI), Department of Higher Education	Sanctioning Authority	https://www.education.gov.in/ict-initiatives
2	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	Host Institute of the Project: The host institute of the project is responsible for providing infrastructure support and hosting the project	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in
3	National Digital Library of India Office, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur	The administrative and infrastructural headquarters of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in
4	Project PI / Joint PI	Principal Investigator and Joint Principal Investigators of the project	Dr. B. Sutradhar bsutra@ndl.gov.in Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti will be added soon
5	Website/Portal (Helpdesk)	Queries regarding NDLI and its services	support@ndl.gov.in
6	Contents and Copyright Issues	Queries related to content curation and copyright issues	content@ndl.gov.in
7	National Digital Library of India Club (NDLI Club)	Queries related to NDLI Club formation, support, user awareness program, seminar/symposium, collaboration, social media, promotion, and outreach	clubsupport@ndl.gov.in
8	Digital Preservation Centre (DPC)	Assistance with digitizing and archiving copyright-free printed books	dpc@ndl.gov.in
9	IDR Setup or Support	Queries related to establishment and support of Institutional Digital Repository (IDR) and IDR workshops	idr@ndl.gov.in

Behavioral suites mediate group-level foraging dynamics in communities of tropical stingless bees

Polarized short odor-trail recruitment communication by a stingless bee, Trigona spinipes

Nest-specific composition of the trail pheromone of the stingless bee Trigona corvina within populations

Appetite for self-destruction: suicidal biting as a nest defense strategy in Trigona stingless bees

Smelling like resin: terpenoids account for species-specific cuticular profiles in Southeast-Asian stingless bees

Warfare in stingless bees

A stingless bee uses labial gland secretions for scent trail communication (Trigona recursa Smith 1863)

Isometric worker size variation in relation to individual foraging preference and seasonal colony growth in stingless bees

Development of a Species-Diagnostic Marker for Identification of the Stingless Bee Trigona pagdeni in Thailand

Effect of group size on the aggression strategy of an extirpating stingless bee, Trigona spinipes

Similar Documents

Behavioral suites mediate group-level foraging dynamics in communities of tropical stingless bees

Polarized short odor-trail recruitment communication by a stingless bee, Trigona spinipes

Nest-specific composition of the trail pheromone of the stingless bee Trigona corvina within populations

Appetite for self-destruction: suicidal biting as a nest defense strategy in Trigona stingless bees

Smelling like resin: terpenoids account for species-specific cuticular profiles in Southeast-Asian stingless bees

Warfare in stingless bees

A stingless bee uses labial gland secretions for scent trail communication (Trigona recursa Smith 1863)

Isometric worker size variation in relation to individual foraging preference and seasonal colony growth in stingless bees

Development of a Species-Diagnostic Marker for Identification of the Stingless Bee Trigona pagdeni in Thailand

Effect of group size on the aggression strategy of an extirpating stingless bee, Trigona spinipes