The British Journal of Animal Behaviour最新文献

The behaviour of coccinellid larvae on plants was studied. They moved on bean leaves, as they did on a flat piece of paper, with frequent changes in direction, but the edges and prominent veins of leaves often determined the pattern of their tracks. The chance touching of leaves of adjacent plants influenced their direction of movement and, when aphid colonies on bean plants were few, larvae might by chance be led far away from them. Coccinellid larvae wasted time and energy in repeatedly visiting parts of plants which they had already visited.

Larvae which encountered aphid coloniestended to stay near them, because after feeding they made small turning movements from side to side, which increased the chance of meeting another aphid of a colony. This behaviour was different from the behaviour before feeding. Fleschner's (1950) conclusion that larvae are unable to perceive the prey from a distance was confirmed.

Larvae (especially the first and second instar)took a comparatively long time to consume aphids and, in the field, one of them was prevented from feeding on an aphid colony by the attacks of ants which were tending them.

The behaviour of larvae is discussed inrelation to their survival in the field. It is considered likely that in areas of low prey density many larvae (especially newly-hatched ones) die of starvation because they do not find aphids.

Summaryo

1. 1.

   Drone behaviour inside the hive has beenstudied by general observation of numerous marked drones, and by continuous observation of two particular drones for predetermined periods each day.

2. 2.

   Drones spend nearly threequarters of theirtime whilst inside the hive in periods of apparent inactivity which are frequently broken by periods of movement over the combs.

3. 3.

   For the first few days of their lives dronesare fed entirely by workers. This is followed by a period in which they are both fed by workers, although not to such an extent as previously, and feed themselves from honey cells. After they are about a week old they tend to feed themselves entirely and do not beg food from workers.

4. 4.

   Worker bees 2–26 days old were seen tofeed drones although those of 4–6 days old were most active in so doing. It is most probable that the workers feed drones with brood food.

5. 5.

   The behaviour of workers toward a drone appears to depend upon his age. At the same time as some of the older drones are being attacked by workers the younger drones present are still being fed.

6. 6.

   The workers who attack drones are probably unemployed foragers.

Summaryo

1. 1.

   There is no evidence that captive Chaffinches in winter seek fights when meeting their kind for the first time.

2. 2.

   Birds in captive flocks may seek fights:wild birds do not.

3. 3.

   It is concluded that Chaffinches have noinnate, spontaneous appetitive behaviour for fighting in winter. When they seek fights, it can be related either to an aggressive mood aroused by external stimuli in the immediate past, or to a learned association between fighting and other activities.

4. 4.

   There is no evidence that Chaffinches haveseveral “sub-instincts” for winter fighting, each “subordinated to another major instinct.” The association with other activities is incidental, arising because they bring birds into proximity (see text for full definition), except when a learned association develops.

5. 5.

   Aggression in so-called “frustrating” situationsis often caused by the increased frequency of external stimuli for aggression. The hypothesis that all aggression is caused by frustration is clearly unfounded.

6. 6.

   In Chaffinches, Yellow Buntings and someother animals, tendencies to other activities than fighting readily have an effect on fighting success by suppressing fear, not by increasing aggressiveness.

7. 7.

   Innate searching for fights in the territorialbehaviour of birds is not proved. It occurs in Chaffinches in recently-contested areas, but otherwise, general patrolling cannot yet be certainly identified as searching for fights. If it proves to be so, it may be learned rather than innate, as in winter.

8. 8.

   The ways are reviewed by which fighting is avoided in potential aggressive situations—i.e. in the presence of potential external stimuli for fighting.

9. 9.

   Fighting generally has a consummatory situation, the achievement by a great variety of acts of a certain area of free space, centred on the individual or, in territorial behaviour, on external objects.

10. 10.

    Complete agreement is reached with Wallace Craig's conclusion that “fighting is not sought for its own sake” but “is resorted to as a means of defending the agent's interests.”