Age and atitude: How longevity influences cognitive biases in honeybee workers

This study examines how life expectancy influences cognitive biases in honeybee workers (Apis mellifera) and their emotional states affecting decision-making. Recent research indicates that emotions impact behavior and cognition in various species, including invertebrates. We conducted three experiments to manipulate honeybee lifespan and assess its effects on judgment biases using a classic judgment bias paradigm. In the first experiment, we shortened the lifespan of bees through CO2 anesthesia or thoracic puncture. The second experiment involved feeding workers Nosema sp. spores to induce infection and evaluate its impact on survival and judgment. The final experiment focused on \"rebel workers,\" who have naturally longer life expectancies. We conditioned bees to associate specific odors with rewards and punishments, then measured their responses to ambiguous stimuli. Results showed that bees subjected to life-shortening treatments exhibited more optimistic cognitive biases, as indicat..., , # Age and atitude: How longevity influences cognitive biases in honeybee workers Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.w3r22814f](10.5061/dryad.w3r22814f) ## Description of the data and file structure Lifespan-dependent cognitive biases in honeybee workers **Summary** This study investigates how honeybee lifespan influences their cognitive biases and emotional states, focusing on decision-making processes. The research was conducted at two locations in Krakow, Poland—the Institute of Environmental Sciences and the University of Agriculture—between May 2018 and June 2023. A total of 14 honeybee colonies, each containing 20,000 to 40,000 workers, were used across three experiments. The first experiment aimed to shorten the bees' lifespan through two methods: CO2 anesthesia and thoracic injury. Worker bees were collected from subunit B of their colonies during the afternoon, after being separated from non-foraging bees in the morning. The bees were then randomly assigned to three groups: untre...,