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Goyal P, van Leeuwen JL, Muijres FT. Bumblebees compensate for the adverse effects of sidewind during visually guided landings. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb245432. [PMID: 38506223 PMCID: PMC11112349 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Flying animals often encounter winds during visually guided landings. However, how winds affect their flight control strategy during landing is unknown. Here, we investigated how sidewind affects the landing performance and sensorimotor control of foraging bumblebees (Bombus terrestris). We trained bumblebees to forage in a wind tunnel, and used high-speed stereoscopic videography to record 19,421 landing maneuvers in six sidewind speeds (0 to 3.4 m s-1), which correspond to winds encountered in nature. Bumblebees landed less often in higher windspeeds, but the landing durations from free flight were not increased by wind. By testing how bumblebees adjusted their landing control to compensate for adverse effects of sidewind on landing, we showed that the landing strategy in sidewind resembled that in still air, but with important adaptations. Bumblebees landing in a sidewind tended to drift downwind, which they controlled for by performing more hover maneuvers. Surprisingly, the increased hover prevalence did not increase the duration of free-flight landing maneuvers, as these bumblebees flew faster towards the landing platform outside the hover phases. Hence, by alternating these two flight modes along their flight path, free-flying bumblebees negated the adverse effects of high windspeeds on landing duration. Using control theory, we hypothesize that bumblebees achieve this by integrating a combination of direct aerodynamic feedback and a wind-mediated mechanosensory feedback control, with their vision-based sensorimotor control loop. The revealed landing strategy may be commonly used by insects landing in windy conditions, and may inspire the development of landing control strategies onboard autonomously flying robots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pulkit Goyal
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WD Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Johan L. van Leeuwen
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WD Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Florian T. Muijres
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WD Wageningen, The Netherlands
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Lopez-Reyes K, Lankheet MJ, van Tol RWHM, Butler RC, Teulon DAJ, Armstrong KF. Tracking the flight and landing behaviour of western flower thrips in response to single and two-colour cues. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14178. [PMID: 37648681 PMCID: PMC10469208 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37400-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Real-time 3D tracking and high-speed videography was used to examine the behaviour of a worldwide greenhouse pest, the western flower thrips (WFT), in response to different colours in the context of improving trap design. Measurements were taken of the number of landings on, and flight activity near, a lamp containing two LEDs of either the same colour or a combination of two colours presented side by side. Main findings show that landing patterns of WFT are different between colours, with landings on UV(+ red) as highly attractive stimulus being mostly distributed at the bottom half of the lamp, while for yellow also as very attractive and green as a 'neutral' stimulus, landings were clearly on the upper rim of the lamp. Additionally, a positive interaction with the UV-A(+ red) and yellow combination elicited the highest number of landings and flight time in front of the LED lamp. Conversely, a negative interaction was observed with decreased landings and flight time found for yellow when blue was present as the adjacent colour. Overall, differences between treatments were less obvious for flight times compared to number of landings, with tracking data suggesting that WFT might use different colours to orientate at different distances as they approach a visual stimulus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karla Lopez-Reyes
- Department of Pest-Management and Conservation, Lincoln University, Lincoln, 7647, New Zealand.
| | - Martin J Lankheet
- Experimental Zoology, Animal Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 338, Wageningen, 6700AH, The Netherlands
| | - Robert W H M van Tol
- Plant and Health Systems, Wageningen University and Research, PO Box 69, Wageningen, 6700AB, The Netherlands
- Bug Research Consultancy, Herendaal 1, Maastricht, 6228GV, The Netherlands
| | - Ruth C Butler
- StatsWork 2022 Limited, 48 Verdeco Boulevard, Lincoln, 7608, New Zealand
| | - David A J Teulon
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Private Bag 4704, Christchurch, New Zealand
- Better Border Biosecurity, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Karen F Armstrong
- Department of Pest-Management and Conservation, Lincoln University, Lincoln, 7647, New Zealand
- Better Border Biosecurity, Lincoln, New Zealand
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Goyal P, van Leeuwen JL, Muijres FT. Bumblebees land rapidly by intermittently accelerating and decelerating toward the surface during visually guided landings. iScience 2022; 25:104265. [PMID: 35521517 PMCID: PMC9065724 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Many flying animals parse visual information to control their landing, whereby they can decelerate smoothly by flying at a constant radial optic expansion rate. Here, we studied how bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) use optic expansion information to control their landing, by analyzing 10,005 landing maneuvers on vertical platforms with various optic information, and at three dim light conditions. We showed that bumblebees both decelerate and accelerate during these landings. Bumblebees decelerate by flying at a constant optic expansion rate, but they mostly accelerate toward the surface each time they switched to a new, often higher, optic expansion rate set-point. These transient acceleration phases allow bumblebees to increase their approach speed, and thereby land rapidly and robustly, even in dim twilight conditions. This helps explain why bumblebees are such robust foragers in challenging environmental conditions. The here-proposed sensorimotor landing control system can serve as bio-inspiration for landing control in unmanned aerial vehicles. Bumblebees land by intermittently decelerating and accelerating toward a surface Acceleration and deceleration phases result from a single visual-motor controller The accelerations toward the surface allow bees to maximize their landing speed Bumblebees adjust their sensorimotor control response to fly slower in dim light
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Affiliation(s)
- Pulkit Goyal
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Johan L van Leeuwen
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Florian T Muijres
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, the Netherlands
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Lazzarin M, Meisenburg M, Meijer D, van Ieperen W, Marcelis LFM, Kappers IF, van der Krol AR, van Loon JJA, Dicke M. LEDs Make It Resilient: Effects on Plant Growth and Defense. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 26:496-508. [PMID: 33358304 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2020.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Light spectral composition influences plant growth and metabolism, and has important consequences for interactions with plant-feeding arthropods and their natural enemies. In greenhouse horticulture, light spectral composition can be precisely manipulated by light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and LEDs are already used to optimize crop production and quality. However, because light quality also modulates plant secondary metabolism and defense, it is important to understand the underlying mechanisms in the context of the growth-defense trade-off. We review the effects of the spectral composition of supplemental light currently used, or potentially used, in greenhouse horticulture on the mechanisms underlying plant growth and defense. This information is important for exploring opportunities to optimize crop performance and pest management, and thus for developing resilient crop-production systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Lazzarin
- Horticulture and Product Physiology, Wageningen University, PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - M Meisenburg
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Wageningen University, PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - D Meijer
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - W van Ieperen
- Horticulture and Product Physiology, Wageningen University, PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - L F M Marcelis
- Horticulture and Product Physiology, Wageningen University, PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - I F Kappers
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Wageningen University, PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - A R van der Krol
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Wageningen University, PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - J J A van Loon
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - M Dicke
- Laboratory of Entomology, Wageningen University, PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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First person – Lana de Vries. Biol Open 2020. [PMCID: PMC7328001 DOI: 10.1242/bio.053413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT
First Person is a series of interviews with the first authors of a selection of papers published in Biology Open, helping early-career researchers promote themselves alongside their papers. Lana de Vries is first author on ‘Bumblebees land remarkably well in red–blue greenhouse LED light conditions’, published in BiO. Lana is a PhD Candidate in the lab of Dr Florian Muijres at the Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University & Research, studying insects, especially social insects like bumblebees, since these kinds of animals can build complex social systems with an organized division of tasks.
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