Spatio-temporal dynamics of bumblebees foraging under predation risk

TL;DR

This study investigates how bumblebees alter their 3D flight behavior in response to predation risk, revealing changes in velocity correlations and adaptive flight patterns through experimental analysis and modeling.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the spatio-temporal flight dynamics of bumblebees under predation threat using experimental data and a simple emergent model.

Findings

Velocity distributions reflect access to food sources.

Predation risk influences velocity correlations.

Bumblebees adapt flight patterns spatially and temporally.

Abstract

We analyze 3D flight paths of bumblebees searching for nectar in a laboratory experiment with and without predation risk from artificial spiders. For the flight velocities we find mixed probability distributions reflecting the access to the food sources while the threat posed by the spiders shows up only in the velocity correlations. The bumblebees thus adjust their flight patterns spatially to the environment and temporally to predation risk. Key information on response to environmental changes is contained in temporal correlation functions, as we explain by a simple emergent model.