SWARM MOVEMENT PATTERNS INFERRED FROM WAGGLE DANCE ACTIVITY OF THE NEOTROPICAL AFRICAN HONEY-BEE IN COSTA-RICA

The movement patterns of neotropical African honey bee colonies were i nvestigated by monitoring the waggle dance activity associated with ne st site selection by 10 artificially created swarm clusters. Eight of the swarms carried African mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and 2 had Europea n mtDNA. The latter were classified as Africanized hybrids, ie Europea n matrilines mated to African drones. Scout bees performed recruitment dances for a mean +/- SD of 12.2 +/- 6.6 different potential nest sit es located 3 429 +/- 894 m from the swarm clusters. The mean distance communicated for the nest site ultimately selected was 4 693 +/- 1 728 m. Neotropical African and hybrid swarms did not differ in the number of nest sites investigated or the mean distances communicated. Swarmi ng behavior may account for 6-18% of the total distance traveled by ne otropical African bees each year.