"Migration dances" in swarming colonies of the honey bee, Apis mellifera

Abstract - The migration dance is a type of dance behavior typically found in tropical honey bee colonies that are preparing for seasonal absconding. Here we report the occurrence of migration-like dances in colonies of European honey bees, Apis mellifera, preparing for reproductive swarming. Compared to waggle dances performed during the same periods, the migration dances lacked the "figure-8" pattern of performance, could be performed when there was no flight from the hive, did not necessarily stimulate immediate recruitment, communicated extreme but highly variable distances, and did not communicate consistent directions of travel. Because the dance occurs when colonies are preparing for both seasonal absconding and swarming, we proposed that it be called the "relocation dance". The possible functions of relocation dances during preparations for reproductive swarming are discussed.