Development of an ethanol model using social insects: III. Preferences for ethanol solutions

Psychol Rep. 2004 Feb;94(1):227-39. doi: 10.2466/pr0.94.1.227-239.

Abstract

Experiments are designed to assess whether free-flying honey bees have an aversion to an ethanol solution when given a choice between targets containing an ethanol solution in sucrose or sucrose only. Animals given a choice between a 1% ethanol solution and sucrose only show no aversion to the ethanol solution either in acquisition or extinction. Honey bees given a choice between a 5% ethanol solution and sucrose only show no differences in the initial choice of targets but some ees do switch over to the sucrose-only target. Performance during extinction indicates that bees landed on the previously reinforced sucrose-only target more than the target previously containing the 5% ethanol solution. An experiment in which bees were given a single 5%, ethanol target showed that of 20 bees, 11 returned for the entire 12 trials of the experiment. All bees returned at least 6 times to the 5% ethanol target. Additional experiments were run on harnessed foragers in a palatability study of alcoholic beverages consumed by humans. The results of the palatability experiment indicate that in general, bees prefer more sweet drinks with less alcohol.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alcohol Drinking / psychology*
  • Alcoholic Beverages*
  • Alcoholism / psychology
  • Animals
  • Bees*
  • Choice Behavior*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Extinction, Psychological
  • Models, Animal*
  • Sucrose
  • Taste*

Substances

  • Sucrose