Navigation by bees using polarized skylight

1993; Elsevier BV; Volume: 104; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0300-9629(93)90146-u

ISSN

0300-9629

Autores

Samuel Rossel,

Tópico(s)

Atmospheric aerosols and clouds

Resumo

1. This paper reviews some recent progress in the understanding of how honeybees orient by means of the pattern of polarized skylight. 2. Special emphasis is laid on experimental evidence for a model which requires rotational movements of the navigating insect. 3. Specifically, the model assumes that the geometrical features of the E-vector pattern in the sky are mimicked by the layout and the detecting properties of polarization analysers in the eyes, with the effect that the analysers produce distinct signals when the rotating bee is aligned with the pattern's principal line of symmetry. 4. According to the model, it is this line which is used by the bee as a reference for selecting compass.

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