Visual and movement memories steer foraging bumblebees along habitual routes

ABSTRACT One persistent question in animal navigation is how animals follow habitual routes between their home and a food source. Our current understanding of insect suggests an interplay visual memories, collision avoidance path integration, the continuous integration distance direction travelled. However, these behavioural modules have to be continuously updated with instantaneous information. In order alleviate this need, could learn replicate movements (‘movement memories’) around objects (e.g. bent trajectory object) reach its destination. We investigated whether bumblebees, Bombus terrestris, use movement memories en route home. Using novel experimental paradigm, we habituated bumblebees establish flight tunnel containing ‘invisible’ obstacles. then confronted them conflicting cues leading different choice directions depending on they rely or memories. The results suggest that navigate, but also solve situations. observed behaviour was due other guidance systems, such as optic flow-based control, found neither systems sufficient explain behaviour.