Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
4497137 | Journal of Theoretical Biology | 2011 | 14 Pages |
Abstract
We present a differential equation-based mathematical model of nectar foraging by the honey bee Apis mellifera. The model focuses on two behavioural classes; nectar foragers and nectar receivers. Results generated from the model are used to demonstrate how different classes within a collective can collaborate to combine information and produce finely tuned decisions through simple interactions. In particular we show the importance of the ‘search time’ – the time a returning forager takes to find an available nectar receiver – in restricting the forager population to a level consistent with colony-wide needs.
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Authors
James R. Edwards, Mary R. Myerscough,