Height communication by Bornean honey bees (Apiformes : Apidae; Apini)

In forest with emergent trees 70 m in height we tested whether honey bees e ffectively communicated three-dimensional forage locations to nestmates. Wo rker Apis koschevnikovi, trained from nests established on a 50 m tree towe r, visited feeders on two additional towers, 200 or 60 m distant, at Lambir Hills Field Station, Sarawak. Twenty experiments were run in which bees we re trained at one level (0.2-36 m), then 727 total new recruits were record ed at control and experimental feeders separated by at least 13.5 m height. Recruits arrived at all feeders, but experimental feeders (where other bee s fed) received significantly more (average 4.9 times that of a control), w ith the exception of 1 experiment in 20. Systematic or random searching-bet ween canopy and ground, by surveying for odors, or by sighting conspecifics -were ruled out by our findings. Rather, we suggest distance and direction communication, perhaps combined solely with conspecific odor recognition an d vertical ranging behavior, in successful three-dimensional recruitment.