Context-dependent use of olfactory cues by foragers of Vespula germanica social wasps

Food search is guided by cues from different sensory modalities, such as olfactory and visual. In social wasps, olfaction plays a key role in locating new resources. However, while several studies have focused on the importance of odours in predation, less is known about their role during scavenging...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Animal cognition Vol. 25; no. 3; pp. 645 - 655
Main Authors:	Yossen, M. B., Buteler, M., Lozada, M.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-06-2022 Springer Nature B.V
Subjects:	Behavioral Sciences Biomedical and Life Sciences Carrion Conspecific odors Conspecifics Context Exploitation Food Forage Foraging behavior Life Sciences Localization Odors Olfaction Olfactory stimuli Original Paper Predation Psychology Research Vespula germanica Zoology Pheromone Scavenging insects Odour learning Foraging behavior Spatial learning
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Summary:	Food search is guided by cues from different sensory modalities, such as olfactory and visual. In social wasps, olfaction plays a key role in locating new resources. However, while several studies have focused on the importance of odours in predation, less is known about their role during scavenging, when spatial memories become a relevant guidance mechanism. Here, we investigated whether the use of odours during carrion exploitation by Vespula germanica wasps depends on whether they are locating or relocating the resource. By means of field choice experiments, we evaluated wasp response to odours: an odour eliciting a spontaneous aversive response, a learnt odour eliciting an appetitive response, and the conspecifics’ odour eliciting an attractive response. Experiments were conducted in different contexts, i.e., during food localisation by naïve foragers, re-localisation of a resource at the learnt site and re-localisation of a resource that had been displaced from the learnt site. All olfactory stimuli evaluated markedly influenced foraging decisions in naïve wasps and in experienced wasps when the food was moved from the learnt location. However, odours were ignored during the wasp’s return to the foraging site. These results suggest a cue hierarchy, in which local landmarks are more reliable to relocate carrion, while olfaction would be useful to locate novel resources or relocate a known source when spatial memories fail. Our findings demonstrate a context-dependent use of odours during carrion exploitation by V. germanica wasps and highlight the importance of spatial memories as an important factor modulating odour response.
Bibliography:	ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23
ISSN:	1435-9448 1435-9456
DOI:	10.1007/s10071-021-01583-4