A novel method for undisturbed long-term observation of honey bee (Apis mellifera) behavior – illustrated by hygienic behavior towards varroa infestation

Honey bees manifest a rich repertoire of behavioral traits. These traits contribute to the successful establishment of a highly evolved social organization in the honey bee. In this study, we describe a novel observational methodology using infrared camera technology for the long-term, undisturbed investigation of behavioral traits of honey bee. An illustration of this methodology is provided through observations of hygienic behavior in response to varroa infestation. Using our method, we show that honey bee workers exhibit a systematic sequence of behavioral activities during the performance of hygienic behavior. The results of this study support the hypothesis that the uncapping of varroa-parasitized brood cells is driven by abnormal odors from the parasitized pupae.