Species of migrating insects use magnetic fields as a navigational tool that is independent of current weather conditions and non‐migrating species have been shown to discriminate anomalies in magnetic field from the earth's baseline. Honey bee discrimination of magnetic field has been studied in the context of associative learning, physiology, and whole hive responses. This article uses a combination of free‐flight and laboratory studies to determine how small fluctuations from Earth's magnetic field affect honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) decision‐making. Honey bees were tested in three experiments: (i) recruitment to an aqueous sucrose feeder, (ii) an artificial free‐flight flower patch with floral color‐dependent magnetic field strength, and (iii) a Y‐maze with alternating colors on a stronger magnetic field. In free‐flying feeder experiments, magnetic field served as a temporary cue, but when offered an equal caloric alternative with lesser magnetic field, the latter was preferred. Flower patch experiments showed initial color biases that were abandoned as a response to magnetic field induction. In laboratory experiments, bees showed a color‐dependent behavioral response to the magnetic field. The results of this study indicate that bees may use small fluctuations in magnetic fields as a cue but that it is likely low‐value as compared with other stimuli. Bioelectromagnetics. 2020;41:458–470. © 2020 Bioelectromagnetics Society.

中文翻译：

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低强度磁场可作为觅食蜜蜂的线索，但先前的经验更为可取。

昆虫的迁徙物种使用磁场作为导航工具，而不受当前天气条件的影响，非迁徙的物种已被证明可以将磁场异常与地球基线区分开。在关联学习，生理学和整个蜂巢反应的背景下，研究了蜜蜂对磁场的辨别。本文结合了飞行和实验室研究，确定了来自地球磁场的微小波动如何影响蜜蜂（蜜蜂）L.）决策。蜜蜂在以下三个实验中进行了测试：（i）募集到蔗糖水溶液饲养器上；（ii）具有取决于花色的磁场强度的人工自由飞行花朵补丁；以及（iii）带有交替颜色的Y型迷宫较强的磁场。在自由飞行的馈线实验中，磁场只是暂时的提示，但是当提供热量较少的等热量替代方案时，后者是首选。花朵补丁实验显示，最初的颜色偏差已被放弃，作为对磁场感应的响应。在实验室实验中，蜜蜂表现出对磁场的颜色依赖性行为响应。这项研究的结果表明，蜜蜂可以利用磁场中的微小波动作为提示，但是与其他刺激相比，它的价值可能较低。生物电磁学。2020; 41：458–470。©2020生物电磁学会。