Bumble bee (Bombus terrestris) foraging patterns and cognition in semi-natural simple or diverse floral environments

The environment in which animals develop can influence their behaviour as adults. We compared the performance of bumble bees (Bombus terrestris) raised in florally simple or florally diverse environments inside a glasshouse. We tested associative learning of over 100 bees raised in either environment using the Free-Moving Proboscis Extension Response (FMPER). In the glasshouse, we also recorded individual and colony-level foraging effort using RFID tunnels at the nest entrance. We show that individuals raised in simple floral environments that exhibit greater capacity for learning take, on average, shorter foraging trips. On the other hand, those raised in diverse floral environments do not exhibit this pattern as strongly. Our results provide an important step in understanding the extent to which bumble bee health, cognition, and foraging behaviour is influenced by the diversity of the floral environment.