Waggle-dancing honeybees produce vibratory movements that may facilitate communication by indicating the location of the waggle dancer. However, an important component of these vibrations has never been previously detected in the comb. We developed a method of fine-scale behavioural analysis that allowed us to analyze separately comb vibrations near a honeybee waggle dancer during the waggle and return phases of her dance. We simultaneously recorded honeybee waggle dances using digital video and laser-Doppler vibrometry, and performed a behaviour-locked Fast Fourier Transform analysis on the substratum vibrations. This analysis revealed significantly higher-amplitude 200–300 Hz vibrations during the waggle phase than during the return phase (P=0.012). We found no significant differences in the flanking frequency regions between 100–200 Hz (P=0.227) and 300–400 Hz (P=0.065). We recorded peak waggle phase vibrations from 206 to 292 Hz (244+/−28 Hz; mean +/− s. d., N=11). The maximum measured signal - noise level was +12.4 dB during the waggle phase (mean +5.8+/−2.7 dB). The maximum vibrational velocity, calculated from a filtered signal, was 128 microm s(−)(1) peak-to-peak, corresponding to a displacement of 0.09 microm peak-to-peak at 223 Hz. On average, we measured a vibrational velocity of 79+/−28 microm s(−)(1) peak-to-peak from filtered signals. These signal amplitudes overlap with the detection threshold of the honeybee subgenual organ.
The Forest of Biologists
We are excited to announce the launch of The Forest of Biologists, a new biodiversity initiative created with support from the Woodland Trust, aiming to counteract nature loss and safeguard some of the most critically endangered ecosystems for future generations. For every Research Article and Review/Commentary article that is published in JEB (and our sister journals Development, Journal of Cell Science, Disease Models & Mechanisms and Biology Open), a native tree is planted in a forest in the UK.
Celebrating 100 years of discovery
We are proud to be celebrating 100 years of discovery in Journal of Experimental Biology. Visit our centenary webpage to find out more about how we are marking this historic milestone.
Looking back on the first issue of JEB
Journal of Experimental Biology launched in 1923 as The British Journal of Experimental Biology. As we celebrate our centenary, we look back at that first issue and the zoologists publishing their work in the new journal.
JEB@100 Conversation
In our new Conversation series JEB@100, JEB Editor-in-Chief Craig Franklin talks about the big outstanding questions in the field of physiological plasticity and why he thinks a sense of community is key to the journal's success. Find out more here.
Surface friction alters the agility of a small Australian marsupial
Matthew Eizenga and colleagues have discovered that Mexican fruit flies vanish in a blur in the eyes of predatory spiders when they wave their wings at the arachnids, buying the flies time to make their escape.
Propose new workshop for 2025
Do you have an idea for a Workshop? We are now accepting proposals for our 2025 Biologists Workshops programme. As the scientific organiser, your involvement will be focused on the science. We'll take care of all the logistics. In 2025 we'll continue our efforts to diversify our Workshop programme and will be reserving one of our Workshops for an application from a Global South (GS) country to host an event overseas.
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