G. Bloch

Data-driven analyses of social complexity in bees reveal phenotypic diversification following a major evolutionary transition

The paper uses a data-driven approach to analyze social complexity in bees, revealing a major evolutionary transition in corbiculate bees that led to phenotypic diversification.

Bumble bees (Bombus terrestris) use time-memory to associate reward with color and time of day

This study shows bumble bees associate reward with color and time of day, suggesting time-memory is not exclusive to socially complex honey bees.

Juvenile hormone affects the development and strength of circadian rhythms in young bumble bee (Bombus terrestris) workers

This study shows that juvenile hormone (JH) enhances circadian rhythm strength and development in young bumble bees but does not affect free-running period or locomotor activity.

Is diversity in worker body size important for the performance of bumble bee colonies?

This study manipulates worker body size diversity in bumble bee colonies and finds that diverse colonies perform better in some metrics, but homogeneous colonies can compensate through behavioral plasticity.

The evolution of extreme fertility defied ancestral gonadotropin mediated brain-reproduction tradeoff

The paper investigates JH's role in bumble bees, finding it upregulates metabolic genes in the fat body and downregulates protein turnover in the brain, suggesting a tradeoff between fertility and brain health.

Body size but not age influences phototaxis in bumble bee (Bombus terrestris, L.) workers

This study shows that body size, not age, affects phototaxis in bumble bee workers, with stronger responses under weak light conditions.

Colony volatiles and substrate-borne vibrations entrain circadian rhythms and are potential mediators of social synchronization in honey bee colonies

This study investigates whether substrate-borne vibrations and hive volatiles can synchronize circadian rhythms in honey bees, finding that both cues improve phase coherence with foragers.

Juvenile hormone interacts with multiple factors to modulate aggression and dominance in groups of orphan bumble bee (Bombus terrestris) workers

This study shows that juvenile hormone (JH) positively affects dominance in bumble bees, but dominance hierarchies can also form based on body size and prior experience.

Signals from the brood modulate the sleep of brood tending bumblebee workers

This study shows that brood presence reduces sleep in bumblebee workers, suggesting a pheromonal signal modulates sleep to enhance brood care.