What is the function of scouts in a swarm of honey bees?

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Question restatement: What is the function of scouts in a swarm of honey bees?
Option 1: 'Swarms establish a bivouac (usually on a branch) while a new home is found. Scouts are workers that look for nectar to feed the queen and workers of the swarm since the search for a new home may last a few days.' This option is incorrect because scouts in a swarm do not primarily search for nectar to feed the colony during the house-hunting phase; nectar gathering is a constant activity of foragers, not the scouting function during swarming. The emphasis on feeding the queen and workers during house-hunting misrepresents the division of labor at swarm onset.
Option 2: 'Swarms establish a bivouac (usually on a branch) while a new home is found. Scouts are workers that look for possible new homes for the swarm' This statement aligns with established honey bee behavior: when a swarm leaves the hive, they cluster as a temporary bivouac while scout bees explore and communicate potential new nest sites to the swarm. The core idea is that scouts search for suitable cavity locations and present options to guide the swarm’s permanent relocation, which is the primary function during this phase.
Why the first option misleads: it confuses the role of nectar foraging with house-hunting duties and suggests a direct feeding obligation tied to the scouting period, which is not the defining task of scouts during swarming.
Why the second option is correct: it correctly identifies the bivouac behavior of a swarm and the scout bees’ task of locating and evaluating potential new homes, which is central to the swarm’s relocation process.
In summary, the intended understanding is that scouts search for possible new homes for the swarm while the cluster hangs in a bivouac, rather than performing nectar-collection duties as part of the scouting phase.

ENTOM2030/ENTOM2031 Pre-Lecture 13 quiz

What is the function of scouts in a swarm of honey bees?

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