Brainy bees
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons
Robin at TheCrankyCrow was wondering how people discovered that bees could count. It has long been known that honey bees return to their hive and ‘dance’ to tell the other bees where to go, and how far, to find nectar and pollen.
Bees have minute brains, yet display behaviour usually associated with larger, more complex nervous systems. Experimenters in the 1990s trained honey bees to discriminate between pictures showing different numbers of shapes. They learned that choosing an image with the required number of shapes earned them a sweet reward. If they chose a picture with ‘fewer shapes’ they were given a bitter treat as a disincentive.
Once they were indicating a high degree of accuracy, of about 80%, they were tested without rewards to discover if they really recognised number difference. When the shapes were changed, or rearranged, the bees continued to choose the correct images, thus showing that they were responding to number, not pattern.
Bees also showed that they noticed and counted landmarks in their flight path. If landmarks were removed or added, the bees adjusted their flight to find the food.
Further research demonstrated that bees can count to at least five, comparable to many vertebrates, though you’ll never hear them chanting their numbers. They can be taught simple arithmetic and understand that ‘zero’ is a quantity smaller than one.
In attempting to understand the mathematical brains of bees, I have succeeded in confusing myself somewhat.
Credit Lars Chittka
Image source
It's all fascinating reading. I remember reading somewhere that flowers send off signals to bees to let them know they have pollen. Don't quote me though, it's been years and that just popped into my head as I read this. I shall do a search.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting. We will always have much to learn from bees (about bees and ourselves).
ReplyDeleteFascinating information. I have learnt that the honeybee can only produce one teaspoon of honey in their lifetime. Something I think about every time I spread honey on toast.
ReplyDeleteThey are important wonderful creatures, we love seeing them buzz around our garden.
ReplyDeleteBee communication is fascinating, especially when you realise that there is no light inside the hive to watch the waggle dance so it is passed on by scent, sound and touch. The colony acts as a unit in response to pheromones.
ReplyDeleteI was at the teaching apiary with new students. As one woman in her beekeeping suit, leaned in to look at the open hive the quiet hum of the bees became louder and higher pitched as all of the bees responded immediately to communication pheromones from the guard bees.
We had to get her away immediately, angry bees are dangerous. She had ignored the instructions about strong scents upsetting bees and had put on hair gel.
What amazing creatures. I love watching honey bees, and bumblebees buzz around our flowers. Now I shall imagine them doing the waggle dance
ReplyDeleteThey are such interesting insects. I suppose their talents are hardwired through genes rather than them thinking about things. Yes, as at some point as an amateur, it all becomes too complex.
ReplyDeleteNature is rather wonderful.
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