多学科证据破译熊蜂觅食分工机制

Core Insights - The study provides a new perspective on the foraging division of labor in bumblebees, highlighting the impact of microstructural differences in functional organs on group behavior [1][2] - The research reveals that the queen bumblebee stops foraging not only due to behavioral or hormonal changes but also due to physical limitations imposed by body structure [2] Group 1: Research Findings - A multidisciplinary team from Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Sun Yat-sen University, and Beijing Institute of Technology conducted the study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences [1] - The queen bumblebee typically forages intensively only during the early nesting period and then shifts to laying eggs and nest activities [1] - The study introduces fluid dynamics, morphology, and ecology as new angles to understand the foraging division of labor [1] Group 2: Structural Analysis - The bumblebee's specialized mouthpart, the "labrum," performs rapid reciprocating movements to capture nectar, with thousands of fine hairs aiding in this process [1] - The spacing of hairs on the queen's labrum is maintained at 40 to 50 micrometers, independent of body size, while worker bees have a spacing of 15 to 45 micrometers based on their size [1] Group 3: Efficiency and Limitations - Despite the queen's larger size and longer tongue, her nectar filling rate is lower compared to worker bees due to larger hair spacing, resulting in lower foraging efficiency [2] - The study introduces dimensionless numbers, Bond number and Capillary number, to measure the interactions of gravity, capillary forces, and viscosity during nectar transport [2] - The research establishes a theoretical framework to match individual structure with function, predicting foraging behavior, and offers insights for engineering applications in liquid transport systems [2]