Figure 5. A possible model for the decision-making process underlying honeybee aggression.

We postulate the existence of an integrative mechanism, which computes a ‘defensive score' from all the stimuli (visual, mechanical, olfactory and so on). This score, represented here as the blue cursor, is compared against an individual threshold determined by internal and colony state, as well as by environmental and social factors. Appetitive floral odours and the alarm pheromone exert opposite actions on the defensive score moving it towards and away from the individual threshold, respectively. The resulting state determines whether the bee engages into active defence.