Another Use For S**t

Honey bees have a serious problem with Giant killer hornets that can invade their hives and 'murder' (not really, as it's actually predation) its inhabitants. Research, led by Heather Matilla of Wellesley College (USA), has analysed numerous video records (I know well, how time-consuming this can be), to identify a strategy used by Asian honey bees to reduce the probability of hornet attack (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/dec/09/honey-bees-use-animal-poo-to-repel-giant-hornet-attacks). Honey bees are normally extremely hygienic insects, as the consequences of introducing infections (of bacteria or fungi) to the hive can be disasterous. Some Asian honey bee workers, however, paste pellets of animal dung on to the exterior of their hives. The more pellets there are, the fewer the attacks by the 'Murder' hornets. It seems probable that the smell from the pellets masks the odour of the bee colony. This might well be an example of 'olfactory camouflage'. Bee keepers in many parts of the world (especially the USA) are getting increasingly concerned about the destructive effects of Asian 'Murder hornets' on their hives. They might well consider using strong odours, at the hive entrances, to repel the hornets. You would, of course, have to establish that the odours did not stop the honey bees locating their own hives.