Shift in distribution of division of labour in chronically stressed honeybee colonies after perturbation

The division of labor (DOL) in eusocial insects is crucial for the fitness of their colonies. Honeybees encounter various stressors that disrupt colony homoestasis, affecting their survival and reproduction. Given the importance of DOL for maintaining colony stability, it's essential to investigate how chronic stress might alter DOL. We examined whether honeybee colonies adjust their DOL in response to high infestation by the parasitic mite Varroa destructor. To do this, we monitored colonies under chronic stress and those with control colonies from April to December 2022. During the study, we induced a perturbation (cold shock) to see if it caused greater changes in DOL in the chronically stressed colonies. We observed that, following the cold shock, the proportion of nurse bees decreased in chronically stressed colonies. Foragers showed increased activity after the cold shock, but there was no significant difference in nectar inflow between treatments, indicating less efficient foraging. Additionally, we noted a earlier task switching in chronically stressed colonies post-cold shock. These significant changes suggest that chronic stress might lead to less effective task allocation. Our research enhances the understanding of social resilience and the effects of chronic stress on eusocial animals.