Repeated unrewarded scent exposure influences the food choice of stingless bee foragers, Melipona scutellaris

► We studied food choices of stingless bees after associative and nonassociative olfactory learning. ► Bees rarely showed conditioned responses in the classical conditioning trials (proboscis extension reflex, PER, assay). ► Bees preferentially chose a feeder carrying the odour experienced during the PER assay. ► Food odour preference was independent of sucrose reward during the PER assay. ► Nonassociative learning is likely to be important for coordination of pollen foraging.