Responsiveness to inhibitory signals changes as a function of colony size in honey bees (Apis mellifera)

Biological collectives, like honey bee colonies, can make intelligent decisions and robustly adapt to changing conditions via intricate systems of excitatory and inhibitory signals. In this study, we explore the role of behavioral plasticity and its relationship to network size by manipulating honey bee colony exposure to an artificial inhibitory signal. As predicted, inhibition was strongest in large colonies and weakest in small colonies. This is ecologically relevant for honey bees, for which reduced inhibitory effects may increase robustness in small colonies that must maintain a minimum level of foraging and food stores. We discuss evidence for size-dependent plasticity in other types of biological networks.