title: Comparative study in stingless bees (Meliponini) demonstrates that nest entrance size predicts traffic and defensivity.
abstract: Stingless bees (Meliponini) construct their own species-specific nest entrance. The size of this entrance is under conflicting selective pressures. Smaller entrances are easier to defend; however, a larger entrance accommodates heavier forager traffic. Using a comparative approach with 26 species of stingless bees, we show that species with greater foraging traffic have significantly larger entrances. Such a strong correlation between relative entrance area and traffic across the different species strongly suggests a trade-off between traffic and security. Additionally, we report on a significant trend for higher forager traffic to be associated with more guards and for those guards to be more aggressive. Finally, we discuss the nest entrance of Partamona, known in Brazil as boca de sapo, or toad mouth, which has a wide outer entrance but a narrow inner entrance. This extraordinary design allows these bees to finesse the defensivity/traffic trade-off.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Apiculture & Social Insects, Department of Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, UKLaboratory of Entomology, Zoological Institute, University of Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumInstituto de Biociências, Laboratório de Abelhas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Couvillon
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Apiculture & Social Insects, Department of Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, UKLaboratory of Entomology, Zoological Institute, University of Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumInstituto de Biociências, Laboratório de Abelhas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wenseleers
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Apiculture & Social Insects, Department of Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, UKLaboratory of Entomology, Zoological Institute, University of Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumInstituto de Biociências, Laboratório de Abelhas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Imperatriz-Fonseca
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Apiculture & Social Insects, Department of Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, UKLaboratory of Entomology, Zoological Institute, University of Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumInstituto de Biociências, Laboratório de Abelhas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nogueira-Neto
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Apiculture & Social Insects, Department of Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, UKLaboratory of Entomology, Zoological Institute, University of Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumInstituto de Biociências, Laboratório de Abelhas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: F L W
authors.initials: FLW
authors.lastname: Ratnieks
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D009425:Nesting Behavior; D010802:Phylogeny