Light-Ripple and Visual Acuity in a Climate Room for Honeybees (Apis Mellifera L.)

The effects of a 100 Hz light-ripple in a bee flight room (Fig. 1) on flight behaviour are compared with the effects of a 300 Hz light-ripple. The 100 Hz light-ripple is found to produce an intermittent light for the honeybee (Fig. 3). This intermittent light changes the behaviour of free flying bees towards obstacles (Fig. 4). This change is attributed to a decreased visual acuity under intermittent light conditions. The higher wing-stroke frequency found during free flight at 100 Hz is considered to be caused by a decreased loading of the vibrating thorax by the bees in order to fly more slowly. The decreased visual acuity is considered to induce a slower flight. These results justify our choice of a complicated lighting system for a honeybee flight and rearing room, producing a light-ripple above the critical fusion frequency of the honeybee's visual system.