Data from: Bees modulate behavior during nectar foraging in response to direct ant aggression (Hymenoptera: Apidae and Formicidae)
Data files
Nov 05, 2025 version files 63.94 KB
-
README.md
1.93 KB
-
transition.data.csv
62 KB
Abstract
The Argentine ant Linepithema humile is one of the most invasive and problematic ant species; it has been introduced to Mediterranean-type habitats around the globe. In invaded areas, the Argentine ant is known to displace and harass native insects. In the current climate of global pollinator declines, it is important to document and quantify the impacts of biotic interactions on the foraging and health of pollinator species. Using a bumble bee system, we sought to investigate the behaviors exhibited by bumble bees when encountering ants and what factors (e.g., the number of ants, or specific aggressive encounters with ants) influenced the bee’s subsequent behaviors and decision whether to continue foraging. These behavior data report the sequences of behaviors involved in the interactions between common eastern bumble bees (Bombus impatiens) and Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) on artificial nectar feeders. Our work clearly demonstrates that bumble bee responses to ant encounters fell into two behavioral clusters. Cluster 1 consisted of the ants that would continue to feed, engage in non-aggressive actions, or would abandon foraging altogether. The bees in Cluster 2 exhibited longer and more diverse behavioral sequences, which commonly involved aggressive behaviors. These findings clarify how ants influence bumble bee behavior and identify factors associated with bees transitioning among discrete behaviors. Our study further highlights the fact that Argentine ants disrupt bee foraging in predictable ways.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.ngf1vhj5r
Description of the data and file structure
This dataset is from the manuscript "Bees Modulate Behavior During Nectar Foraging in Response to Direct Ant Aggression" and provides the data analyzed in this manuscript.
Files and variables
File: transition.data.csv
Description: Contains one worksheet
Variables
- RecrdID: unique identifier of the behavioral sequence
- Date: date of observation
- ClnyID: Colony identification number
- TrialID: Trial identification number
- BeeID: Unique bee id; usually a number but may be a combination of numbers and a color (e.g., 64p is 64 pink while 64b is 64 blue). No colony had multiple bees with the same number and color combination.
- Feeder: location of the treatment feeder (left or right)
- Fed.: whether the bee fed during this visit or not
- String: behavioral string. Letters refer to specific behaviors listed below (see Description of behaviors).
- Num.ants: How many ants were on the feeder that the bee was on. This was recorded every few minutes throughout each trial.
Description of behaviors
f = Feeding; this means the bee fed for >1 sec
a = bee antennated ants on the feeder, such that one or both of a bee’s antenna contacted any part of an ant
s = bee stepped on an ant
t = any contact of the bee to an ant involving any part of bee’s body that was not the antennae or the tarsi
g = bee gaped its mandibles at an ant
c = bee biting an ant, which was often accompanied with an audible crunch sound. Ants commonly died after this behavior.
b = ant biting a bee with its mandibles. Most often ants bit the bee legs.
i = ant applying a defensive chemical (likely an iridoid) on a bee by the ant touching its gaster to a bee