Complexity and plasticity in honey bee phototactic behaviour

The ability to move towards or away from a light source, namely phototaxis, is essential for a number of species to find the right environmental niche and may have driven the appearance of simple visual systems. In this study we ask if the later evolution of more complex visual systems was accompanied by a sophistication of phototactic behaviour. The honey bee is an ideal model organism to tackle this question, as it has an elaborate visual system, demonstrates exquisite abilities for visual learning and performs phototaxis. Our data suggest that in this insect, phototaxis has wavelength specific properties and is a highly dynamical response including multiple decision steps. In addition, we show that previous experience with a light (through exposure or classical aversive conditioning) modulates the phototactic response. This plasticity is dependent on the wavelength used, with blue being more labile than green or ultraviolet. Wavelength, intensity and past experience are integrated into an overall valence for each light that determines phototactic behaviour in honey bees. Thus, our results support the idea that complex visual systems allow sophisticated phototaxis. Future studies could take advantage of these findings to better understand the neuronal circuits underlying this processing of the visual information.