Research interests

• Chemical communication
• Physiology of insect olfaction
• Bumblebee social behaviour
• Worker reproduction
• Task allocation

 

 

 

Scientific projects

Bumblebees and other social insects exhibit complex chemical communication systems to coordinate social processes as task allocation, reproduction, nestmate and kin recognition. Thus the olfactory sense has a high impact on the life history traits of these animals. However, so far little is known about the proximate mechanisms linking the perception of a chemical signal and the resulting behaviour or physiological changes that are essential for the maintenance of social insect colonies.
My Ph. D. thesis focuses on chemical cues influencing worker reproduction and their processing in the antennal lobes, the first-order olfactory brain areas in insects. By applying neurophysiological, chemoecological and morphological methods I intend to figure out which neuronal and endocrine mechanisms influence individual decisions of workers concerning their egg laying behaviour and task performance.

Conference contributions

Rottler A-M, Ayasse M (2011) Nest wax contains information on the social status of
Bombus terrestris colonies. IUSSI, Papenburg, Germany.

Rottler A-M, Ayasse M (2011) Nest wax signals mirror the social status of bumblebee
colonies. ISCE, Vancouver, Canada.

Rottler A-M, Ayasse M (2011) The smell of competition - nest wax influences bumblebee
worker reproduction. DZG, Saarbrücken, Germany.

Rottler A-M, Sramkova A, Ayasse M (2010). The smell of competition -- Does colony scent influence worker reproduction in Bombus terrestris? IUSSI-Congress, Copenhagen, Denmark. 16

Rottler A-M, Ayasse M (2009) Die Empfindlichkeit antennaler Rezeptoren für das Königinnenpheromon bei Bombus terrestris Arbeiterinnen. DGaaE, Entomologentagung, Göttingen, Germany.

Rottler A-M, Ayasse M (2008). Die Empfindlichkeit antennaler Rezeptoren für das Königinnenpheromon bei Bombus terrestris Arbeiterinnen. Hymenopterologen-Tagung, Stuttgart, Germany. 36