Social Learning in Bumblebees (Bombus impatiens): Worker Bumblebees Learn to Manipulate and Forage at Artificial Flowers by Observation and Communication within the Colony

Figure 4

The learning curve (time/sec) (±SE) taken to access and forage on syrup for 9 workers of Bombus impatiens which were allowed to watch experienced foragers at artificial flowers for 10 hours and held incommunicado overnight. In the morning these bees demonstrated their ability to forage at the flowers after 3 trails. The flowers were replaced with cleaned ones after each of the first three trials and for each individual bee tested. The activities of the foragers were recorded for a further 7 visits. H₀ showing that the durations for successful foraging are independent of experience of having watched nestmates forage is rejected (𝐹_8,9=10.7; 𝑃<0.001).