Fig. 4

Workers orient towards nestmates that recently encountered the queen, or that have high queen pheromone loads. a-b Difference maps showing the change in the orientation strength of workers around a messenger bee (M). Worker orientation strengths are quantified using the Rayleigh test statistic, \(\rho\). Panels a & b show respectively the post-pre differences in receiver orientation strengths for the first and fifth minutes either side of the queen contact (i.e., \(\Delta \bar{\rho }_{time} = \bar{\rho }_{1:60} - \bar{\rho }_{-1:-60}\) & \(\bar{\rho }_{241:300} - \bar{\rho }_{-241:-300}\)). Arrow plots show post-pre difference vectors, \(\Delta \vec v\), for areas to the front, the side, and behind the messenger. c Angular transect of the post-pre orientation strength differences as a function of the position of the receiver worker. Positions are measured clockwise relative to the heading of the messenger. Dots and error bars represent means & standard errors. d-e Difference maps comparing worker orientation strength toward a post-retinue messenger (M) with a given queen pheromone load, versus all post-retinue bees irrespective of their pheromone load (i.e., \(\Delta \bar{\rho }_{load}\)). Panels d & e show respectively the difference maps for messengers with a load in the top, and the second deciles (i.e., \(\rho _{91:100} - \rho _{1:100}\) & \(\rho _{81:90} - \rho _{81:90}\)). f Angular transect of the differences in receiver orientation strengths as a function of the position of the receiver