Research interests

Scientific projects

The main organisms of my studies are the tropical, advanced eusocial stingless bees (Apidae, Apinae, Meliponini). Their social life in medium sized to large perennial colonies requires sophisticated mechanisms of colony organization and well developed communication systems. The specific questions I address in my research projects together with Manfred Ayasse (Ulm University) and colleagues from the Universities of Hamburg (Wittko Francke, Robert Twele) and São Paulo (Ronaldo Zucchi, Michael Hrncir) and from the National University of Costa Rica (Ingrid Aguilar, Johan van Veen), are linked to two main topics:

(1) We study the communication mechanisms involved in the recruitment of nestmates to food sources. In particular, we examine the glandular origins and the chemical composition of both scent marks left by foragers at food sources and of pheromones used by various species to lay scent trails from the food source towards the nest. Currently, we are most interested in the ecological significance of species- and nest specific pheromone compositions in terms of resource partitioning and competitor avoidance (MS students involved: Jochen Dambacher, Kathrin Hemmeter, Eva Stangler, Lena John; PhD student: Christian Reichle).

(2) We investigate the role of semiochemicals and of queen- and worker specific behaviour in the social organization of stingless bee colonies. The chemical composition and the physiologically and behaviourally active compounds of queen specific odour components and of egg surface volatiles are studied together with their glandular origin and their potential way of transmission within the nest. Their role as releaser and/or primer pheromones is tested by means of bioassays employing natural extracts and synthetic compounds (Master student involved: Christian Reichle).