alanf
Queen Bee
- Joined
- May 26, 2011
- Messages
- 2,185
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- Location
- Middx
- Hive Type
- National
- Number of Hives
- 2
Report in the Guardian today of work on the epigenetics of bees. There is evidence for the reversibility of the transition from nurse bee to forager and the reverse is associated with epigenetic tags. Claimed to be the first clear association of behaviour and reversible epigenetics.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/sep/16/bee-study-behaviour
The link on the page doesn't seem to work but the paper is here (subscription).
http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nn.3218.html
Interesting background on how the division of labour is controlled. Most practical implication is probably that is a chemical trace of foragers becoming nurse bees again. The idea that it may take "a few weeks" to rebalance after isolating a group of foragers might suggest it's rare in normal processes but happens under extreme stimulus.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/sep/16/bee-study-behaviour
The link on the page doesn't seem to work but the paper is here (subscription).
http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nn.3218.html
Interesting background on how the division of labour is controlled. Most practical implication is probably that is a chemical trace of foragers becoming nurse bees again. The idea that it may take "a few weeks" to rebalance after isolating a group of foragers might suggest it's rare in normal processes but happens under extreme stimulus.