Sting theory: Utilizing the principles of particle physics to model honeybee fanning

Social behavior among animals expands a species capability to adapt to changing environmental conditions. By modeling these behaviors, we can better understand the social drivers of regulatory behaviors. Honeybees (Apis mellifera) are a highly social species of pollinators, and vital agricultural product. Within colonies, honeybees maintain an internal temperature of their hive at 35°C by circulating air using a process called fanning. When this process fails, elevated hive temperature increases adult mortality and prevents proper larval development. Fanning is induced by both thermal and social conditions. We hypothesized that by simple particle densities models can explain honeybee movement under increasing temperatures. To test this groups of ten honeybees were exposed to rising temperatures, increasing at a rate of 1°C per minute, across two cage sizes. Activity was recorded and tracked to analyze the number, type, and duration of interactions between individuals, as well as movement distance and speed. Using molecular state theory and the ideal gas law, we modeled the onset of fanning behavior based on group density, movement, and thermal environment. The results indicated that bee movement rates were consistent across both cage sizes. However, peak interaction rates were higher in the larger cage. Crucially, it was found that high interaction rates alone did not trigger fanning. Instead, fanning was initiated only when both a specific temperature threshold and interaction rate were surpassed. These findings underscore the importance of temperature in conjunctions with individual interactions, rather than simply spatial density, in regulating fanning behavior.