Delac, Saskia

The western honey bee Apis mellifera has complex and highly developed behaviours that allow a colony to precisely regulate the temperature in a hive. These behaviours are furthermore necessary for the survival in a variety of extreme situations. Thermogenesis and fanning are two of these thermoregulatory behaviours. The flight muscles of the honey bee are crucial for both of these behaviours.

As part of my research, I want to investigate the effects of thermal stress on gene expression in the flight muscles of Apis mellifera. Another aim is to analyze different factors that influence the performance of thermoregulation. Biogenic amines such as octopamine and dopamine are localized in the flight muscles of the western honeybee. The former is essential for thermogenesis. The function of dopamine in relation to the flight muscles is still unknown. A major aim of my work is to determine the role of dopamine in flight muscles.

 ...