"Nest scent" guides female bees back home

What is it about?

Did you know that there are species of bees and wasps that are said to be solitary? These species, unlike honeybees for example, do not usually form nesting colonies. Instead, each solitary female builds its own nest, often by digging into the ground or using pre-existing cavities. What is fascinating is that these nests are often found in close proximity to each other, but the females are still able to return to their own nest even though it is located among hundreds of other similar-looking nest entrances. How do they do this? By smell! We have discovered that each nest 'smells' like its occupant and this helps females find their own nest each time they return from foraging.

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Photo by Alexandre Debiève on Unsplash

Photo by Alexandre Debiève on Unsplash

Why is it important?

With the massive decline in pollinators observed nowadays, it is vital to gain a better understanding of the biology of species such as solitary insects. On the one hand, our results open up to several promising biological and evolutionary questions in the fields of sensory perception and insect communication that remain to be answered. This means it can lead to new avenues of research and study. On the other hand, these results have great potential for more applied purposes. For example, it could provide insights into how to develop more suitable nesting aids for solitary insects, thereby effectively supporting populations.

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