The cartoon refers to a report in the section "This Issue" in the Journal of Experimental Biology, on a paper on the thermoregulatory behaviour of honeybee guards and their examinees (see foldout below).
It was noticed that thoroughly examined bees often heat their thorax up (maximum 48 °C), probably to facilitate identification as a nestmate via increased evaporation of chemicals, while bees not being examined intensely remain cooler.
Cartoon refers to the paper: Stabentheiner, A., Kovac, H. and Schmaranzer, S. (2002). Honeybee nestmate recognition: the thermal behaviour of guards and their examinees. J. Exp. Biol. 205, 2637–2642.
Further reading: Stabentheiner, A., Kovac, H. and Schmaranzer, S. (2007). Thermal behaviour of honeybees during aggressive interactions. Ethology 113, 995–1006.
- Wissenschaft & Kunst (Science & Art) - 
