Bowling with Bees

Hard at work!     (Photo by Tony Wills)

Recent research at Queen Mary University of London’s School of Biological and Chemical Studies has shown that bumblebees are far from bumbling.  In fact, they “can be trained to roll a ball into a goal” when it behooves them.

What motivates bees to engage in such nonsensical activity is similar to what motivates human athletes:  the sweet smell of rewards. With bees, all it takes is a whiff of sugar water.  The same cannot be said for big-league bipeds.

It turns out that would-bee athletes learn best from previously-trained bees.  The newbies were even motivated to do one better.  They not only imitated what was observed, but also improved upon techniques.

How could such a bee-brained creature be so smart?  God only knows. 

Resources

https://www.yahoo.com/news/bees-learn-roll-ball-food-study-190710748.html 

Copyright February 23, 2017 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved