Honeybees (Apis mellifera) have a highly evolved and unique communication system known as 'dance language'. Bees use dance as a form of communicating distance and direction of potential food sources or nest sites. A round dance (figure 1), running in a circle, is performed for sites of interest that are close by. For sites at an intermediate distance from the hive, a transitional (or sickle) dance (figure 2) is performed. This dance involves running in a semicircular (or moon) shape. Finally, the most complex of the dance types performed by honeybees is called the 'waggle' dance (figure 3). The waggle dance involves the forager running in a figure of 8 with a waggling run through the centre. The direction and speed of the waggling run are the most informative aspects of the dance. The displacement of the run from vertical imparts the direction relative to the sun, and the speed of the dance transmits information about the distance from the hive.

There is well documented variation in dance dialects (i.e. at what distance one dance type changes into the next most complex) between different races of Apis mellifera. We are exploiting the difference that exists between two races of Apis mellifera by creating an F1 cross and an F1 backcross, and analysing the dance behaviour of the resultant progeny. Bees will be analysed using current molecular techniques, such as subtractive hybridisation and/or differential display from cDNA libraries, to identify a suitable candidate gene (or genes) that may be controlling this behaviour.

Fig. 1. Round

Fig. 2. Transitional

Fig. 3. Waggle