Toxins induce ‘malaise’ behaviour in the honeybee (Apis mellifera)

摘要: To avoid poisoning and death when toxins are ingested, the body responds with a suite of physiological detoxification mechanisms accompanied by behaviours that in mammals often include vomiting, nausea, lethargy. Few studies have characterised whether insects exhibit characteristic ‘malaise-like’ response to intoxication. Here, we used honeybee investigate how intoxication produced injection or ingestion three different pharmacological modes action quinine, amygdalin, lithium chloride affected behaviour. We found toxin-induced changes behaviour were best more time spent grooming. Bees also had difficulty performing righting reflex exhibited specific such as abdomen dragging curling up. The expression these depended on toxin been injected ingested. When they least 10 times less concentrated haemolymph than ingested food, suggesting their absorption through gut is strongly regulated. Our data show bees ‘malaise’ suggest signalling toxicosis accomplished multiple post-ingestive pathways animals.