Data and code from: Chemical cues in a bee kleptoparasite trigger an evasive response in a facultative eusocial orchid bee

Brood parasites often evade host detection through chemical mimicry or chemical insignificance, whereas alternative strategies such as chemical deterrence are rarely documented. We used the host-parasite model of the orchid bee Euglossa viridissima and its specialised kleptoparasite, the megachilid Hoplostelis bivittata, to study this relationship in primitively eusocial bees. We hypothesised that H. bivittata employs a chemical strategy to enter the nest and avoid host aggression, and that response rapidity increases with chemical distance. To test this, the cuticular hydrocarbon profiles of host and parasite were first compared, followed by bioassays analysing the response of host bees to conspecifics, the kleptoparasite, and the stingless bee Melipona beecheii as a control. Bioassays involved live and frozen specimens, as well as dummies coated with parasite cuticular extracts of the different species. Notably, host E. viridissima showed aggression toward conspecifics and M. beecheii..., , # Chemical Cues in a bee Kleptoparasite Trigger an Evasive Response in a Facultative Eusocial Orchid Bee This dataset contains data and R code used to analyse the presence of chemical deterrents in a brood parasite and the behavioural response in a facultative eusocial orchid bee (*Euglossa viridissima*). --- ## 📁 Contents ### Data Files | File Name | Description | | -------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `GlobalCHCPeakAreas_newMbeecheeii_individuals.csv` | Raw peak area data for all 34 cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) compounds across all individuals. | | `AlkenesPeakAreas_v2.csv` | Peak areas of monoene (alkene) compounds in CHC profiles (subset of global CHC data). | | ..., ,# 《蜂类盗寄生者的化学信号触发兼性社会性兰花蜂的逃避行为反应》 育幼寄生者（brood parasite）常通过化学拟态（chemical mimicry）或化学隐匿（chemical insignificance）躲避宿主识别，而诸如化学威慑（chemical deterrence）这类替代策略则鲜有报道。本研究以绿舌兰花蜂（*Euglossa viridissima*）及其特化盗寄生者——二带带缝切叶蜂（*Hoplestis bivittata*）为宿主-寄生模型，在原社会性蜂类中探究这一相互关系。我们提出假说：二带带缝切叶蜂会借助化学策略进入巢穴并规避宿主攻击，且宿主的反应速率会随化学距离增加而提升。为验证该假说，我们首先对比了宿主与寄生者的表皮碳氢化合物（cuticular hydrocarbon, CHC）谱，随后通过生物测定分析宿主蜂对同种个体、该盗寄生者以及作为对照的无刺蜂*Melipona beecheii*的行为反应。生物测定所用样本包括活体、冷冻标本，以及涂有不同物种寄生者表皮提取物的人工诱饵。值得注意的是，宿主绿舌兰花蜂*E. viridissima*对同种个体及*M. beecheii*表现出攻击行为…… 本数据集包含用于分析育幼寄生者化学威慑物质存在情况，以及兼性社会性兰花蜂（*Euglossa viridissima*）行为反应的相关数据与R代码。 --- ## 📁 数据集内容 ### 数据文件 | 文件名 | 描述 | | ------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `GlobalCHCPeakAreas_newMbeecheeii_individuals.csv` | 所有受试个体的34种表皮碳氢化合物（CHC）的原始峰面积数据。 | | `AlkenesPeakAreas_v2.csv` | 表皮碳氢化合物谱中单烯烃（alkene）类化合物的峰面积数据（为全局表皮碳氢化合物数据的子集）。 | | ...