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Ethanol Self‐Administration in Free‐Flying Honeybees ( A pis mellifera L .) in an Operant Conditioning Protocol
Author(s) -
Sokolowski Michel B. C.,
Abramson Charles I.,
Craig David Philip Arthur
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2012.01770.x
Subject(s) - reinforcement , context (archaeology) , operant conditioning , conditioning , sucrose , forage , schedule , zoology , communication , biology , psychology , toxicology , food science , ecology , computer science , social psychology , statistics , mathematics , paleontology , operating system
Background This study examines the effect of ethanol ( E t OH ) on continuous reinforcement schedules in the free‐flying honeybee ( A pis mellifera L .). As fermented nectars may be encountered naturally in the environment, we designed an experiment combining the tools of laboratory research with minimal disturbance to the natural life of honeybees. Methods Twenty‐five honeybees were trained to fly from their colonies to a fully automated operant chamber with head poking as the operant response. Load size, intervisit interval, and interresponse times ( IRT s) served as the dependent variables and were monitored over the course of a daily training session consisting of many visits. Experimental bees were tested using an ABA design in which sucrose only was administered during condition A and a 5% E t OH sucrose solution was administered during condition B . Control bees received sucrose solution only. Results Most bees continued to forage after E t OH introduction. E t OH significantly reduced the load size and the intervisit interval with no significant effect on IRT s. However, a look on individual data shows large individual differences suggesting the existence of different kinds of behavioral phenotypes linked to E t OH consumption and effects. Conclusions Our results contribute to the study of E t OH consumption as a normal phenomenon in an ecological context and open the door to schedule‐controlled drug self‐administration studies in honeybees.