Insect Mentality

M

Mickmeister

Registered Senior Member
We have a problem right now with carpenter bees. In order to lure a bunch of them into one area to spray them down, I grabbed one with pliers, cut its wings and legs off so it couldn't move away, and then placed it on a log several feet away to be bait to draw the others near it. I watched them start to gather around the damaged bee and it was almost like they exhibited rage in that they started flying faster and faster around it as they started realizing that it was dying. I just find it fascinating how an insect with such an infinitesimal brain can exhibit "emotions", if that is what it is, like they do. Do insects really have emotions? If so, how? Their brains are so small.
 
They were responding to a chemical stimulus.

They have a group of responses to chemicals and movements.

I find their ability to 'navigate by dance' far more fascinating than a 'danger' pheromone exciting other bees.
 
:bawl:
What the fuck dude !

To answer your question: at least not the way we do.
You need to precisely define 'emotion' for a straight answer.
 
Enmos said:
:bawl:
What the fuck dude !
Click to expand...

I know! I'm not that brutal.
I would have poked holes in the lid of a jar and threw his buzzing butt in there. Of course, I'm still gonna kill them, but no need for torture first.
 
Orleander said:
I know! I'm not that brutal.
I would have poked holes in the lid of a jar and threw his buzzing butt in there. Of course, I'm still gonna kill them, but no need for torture first.
Click to expand...

Agreed.
Or, maybe, he can just patch up those holes.
Perhaps he's lazy.
 
the same thing happens with ants.

When i was younger and learning about them in science class i would experiment with hem all the time.

They don't dance to show the direction of pollen... but when they find food they go back and forth from the ant hill to the food (usually another insect or crystals of sugar that i would put down) just to put down their pheromone trails for the others to find it.

Incredible, i would imagine bee's work the same way since they have the same colony mentality, your experiment is interesting and a very neat way to lure them out.
 
brokenpower said:
the same thing happens with ants.

When i was younger and learning about them in science class i would experiment with hem all the time.

They don't dance to show the direction of pollen... but when they find food they go back and forth from the ant hill to the food (usually another insect or crystals of sugar that i would put down) just to put down their pheromone trails for the others to find it.

Incredible, i would imagine bee's work the same way since they have the same colony mentality, your experiment is interesting and a very neat way to lure them out.
Click to expand...

I hate to burst your bubble, but carpenter bees are solitary.
 
Enmos said:
:bawl:
What the fuck dude !

To answer your question: at least not the way we do.
You need to precisely define 'emotion' for a straight answer.
Click to expand...

It is a freaking bee that is destroying property! If I am correct, most insects do not have the nerve cells required for pain.
 
I grabbed one with pliers, cut its wings and legs off so it couldn't move away, and then placed it on a log several feet away to be bait
Click to expand...

Why not just put it in a small jar then replace the lid with holes in it. that way you will have the bait in the jar and the holes that it can send out its signal that it is trapped!:shrug:
 
Mickmeister said:
It is a freaking bee that is destroying property! If I am correct, most insects do not have the nerve cells required for pain.
Click to expand...

Think about this for thirty seconds. While they don't have a neurological system like we do, they have receptors to perceive heat and cold and prey, or they'd eat poison and fly into fires. Do you think any animal would survive this long without sensing pain?

Riddle-de-dum.
 
Mickmeister said:
We have a problem right now with carpenter bees. In order to lure a bunch of them into one area to spray them down, I grabbed one with pliers, cut its wings and legs off so it couldn't move away, and then placed it on a log several feet away to be bait to draw the others near it. I watched them start to gather around the damaged bee and it was almost like they exhibited rage in that they started flying faster and faster around it as they started realizing that it was dying. I just find it fascinating how an insect with such an infinitesimal brain can exhibit "emotions", if that is what it is, like they do. Do insects really have emotions? If so, how? Their brains are so small.
Click to expand...

You were just anthropomorphizing. Damaged bees let out alarm phermones that get the other bees excited and ready to sting. That's why if you smash a bee near a nest, you can end up with the whole swarm on you.
 
That is true. That is why I usually take the water hose to them to stun their flight capabilities and then stomp them.
 
Enmos said:
I hate to burst your bubble, but carpenter bees are solitary.
Click to expand...

With over 500 species in 31 subgenera, I doubt that holds true for everything that is colloquially called a carpenter bee.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpenter_bee

takandjive said:
Think about this for thirty seconds. While they don't have a neurological system like we do, they have receptors to perceive heat and cold and prey, or they'd eat poison and fly into fires. Do you think any animal would survive this long without sensing pain?

Riddle-de-dum.
Click to expand...

Insects react to stimuli, but there is no evidence for insects possessing any of the neurological structures capable of experiencing pain like we do. Do you think your Roomba feels pain?
 
I know the Roomba has no real opinion about being torn apart, and bugs probably aren't just going to be peach shit happy over it.

It's proven they perceive heat and cold. They have some sensation. It's not a huge leap they feel pain.
 
takandjive said:
I know the Roomba has no real opinion about being torn apart, and bugs probably aren't just going to be peach shit happy over it.

It's proven they perceive heat and cold. They have some sensation. It's not a huge leap they feel pain.
Click to expand...

Actually, it is. Reaction to a negative stimulus != experience of pain. First, you have to be able to have experiences. Second, you need to have a reason to feel pain, ie, have an overriding stimuli. Higher vertebrates feel pain because they have a lot of complex information to contend with, and there needs to be a gtfo switch.

Insects, on the other hand, do not have the capacity to have experiences, nor is there much evidence that they are doing any of the higher order stuff that us vertebrates do.

It's proven they perceive heat and cold.
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You mean they react to differing stimuli. No one is debating this. But whether they can actually perceive their perception? No evidence, whatsoever.
 
I'll concede they probably don't feel it like we or any of the complex beasties do, but they react to the stimuli. It's indicative they're not thrilled shitless. Tearing things apart just isn't nice.
 
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