Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM)

First and foremost, I am indebted to Dr. Théo Robert, whose assistance during the long hours of data collection and expertise with MATLAB and R coding – and otherwise general tutelage on working with bumblebees – were invaluable. Secondly, I must thank my on-site supervisor Dr. Natalie Hempel de Ibarra, who leant me her wealth of knowledge in bee-ology for the experimental design, data analysis and editing, as well as the Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour and the University of Exeter for taking me on as a visiting Master’s student and allowing me the use of their facilities. Finally, I must thank my supervisor Dr. Matthias Laska who arranged the opportunity for this project, and who also assisted with editing.

And, of course, I must thank all of the wonderful and (mostly) cooperative bumblebees that participated in my study!