Apiculture (0+1)

Wag - Tail Dance

This dance is performed when the distance of food source is more than 100 metres from the hive. In this dance the bee starts dancing on the comb making a half circle to one side and then takes a sharp turn and runs in a straight line to starting point. Thereafter takes another half circle on the opposite direction to complete one full circle (Figure 5.2). Again the bee runs in a straight line to the starting point. In the straight run the dancing bee makes wiggling motion with her body that is why this dance is known as wag-tail dance. Location of food is indicated by direction of straight run in relation to line of gravity. If the food is in line with the sun, bee wag-tails upwards (Figure 5.3a) and if away from the sun, it performs downwards (Figure 5.3b). If the food source is to the left of the sun the bees dance at an angle counterclockwise to the line of gravity (Figure 5.3c) whereas, if it is to the right of the sun the bees dance to the right of the line of gravity (Figure 5.3d).



5.3a Direction indication in wag-tail dance when food is in the direction of sun


5.3b Dance when food is away from direction of sun


5.3c If food is to the left of the sun, bee dances at an angle counterclockwise to the line of gravity


5.3d If food is to the right of the sun, bee dances to the right of the line of gravity
Figure 5.3 Wag-tail dance in relation to direction of sun

The distance is indicated by the number of straight runs per 15 seconds as given below:

Distance of food from hive (metres)	Number of straight runs/15 sec.
100	9 - 10
600	7
1000	4
6000	2


As a social unit a bee colony maintains its hive temperature between 32-35^oC in the brood area. Queen substance 9-oxo-2-decenoic acid (9-ODA) from the queen bee, alarm pheromone and alarm odour from worker bees play important role in the welfare of the colony and help in the social organization.

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