LEARNING OF PROBOSCIS EXTENSION IN HARNESSED AFRICANIZED HONEY BEE DRONES (Apis mellifera L.)

Studies on the olfactive learning in honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) are predominantly performed with worker bees. In this study, we used the classical conditioning of proboscis extension (PER) to evaluate the effectiveness of 5 scents as conditioned stimuli (CS). Ten groups of 20 drones (A. mellifera L.) each were used. The conditioned stimuli were the odors of Citral, Hexanal, Geraniol, beeswax (comb), and beeswax (foundation sheet). In addition to the acquisition of learning, we measured the persistence of conditioning when the unconditioned stimulus was no longer presented (i.e.,extinction). The intertrial interval, the CS duration and US duration were 10 min, 2 sec, and 3 sec, respectively. The drones were able to demonstrate conditioning and storage of information. Citral, Hexanal, and beeswax (comb) were the most efficient stimuli in classical conditioning with drones.针对西方蜜蜂（Apis mellifera L.）嗅觉学习的研究，大多以工蜂为实验对象。本研究采用喙伸展经典条件反射（PER）范式，评估5种气味作为条件刺激（CS）的有效性。实验共设置10组，每组包含20只西方蜜蜂（A. mellifera L.）雄蜂。本次实验使用的条件刺激分别为柠檬醛、己醛、香叶醇、巢脾蜂蜡以及巢础蜂蜡的气味。除了检测学习获取过程外，本研究还测量了撤除非条件刺激（US）后条件反射的持久性（即消退过程）。实验的组间间隔、条件刺激（CS）时长以及非条件刺激（US）时长分别为10分钟、2秒与3秒。实验所用雄蜂均能表现出条件反射行为并完成信息存储；其中柠檬醛、己醛与巢脾蜂蜡是适配雄蜂经典条件反射实验的最优刺激物。