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The Language of Bees

I've been utterly fascinated with learning the language of bees. They are "scrubbing" the entrance here. (This is the equivalent of scrubbing clothes with a washboard!)


Bees have a fascinating way of communicating with each other through a combination of body movements, pheromones, and even dances. One remarkable example is the waggle dance performed by honeybees to communicate the location of food sources to other hive members.


Here's how it works:

  1. Scouting for Food: When a worker bee finds a good source of nectar or pollen, it returns to the hive.

  2. The Dance: The returning bee performs a dance on the vertical surface of the honeycomb, waggling its abdomen while moving in a figure-eight pattern.

  3. Direction: The angle of the waggle relative to the vertical comb indicates the direction of the food source in relation to the sun's position. For example, if the dance is performed straight up, it means the food source is directly towards the sun. If the dance is performed at an angle to the right of vertical, it means the food source is to the right of the sun's position.

  4. Distance: The duration of the waggle portion of the dance correlates with the distance to the food source. Longer waggle phases indicate greater distance.

  5. Intensity: The vigor of the dance communicates the quality of the food source. A more intense waggle dance suggests a richer or more abundant food source.


By observing and interpreting these dances, other worker bees can quickly learn the location, distance, and quality of the food source and then navigate to it themselves. This remarkable form of communication allows honeybee colonies to efficiently exploit food resources in their environment. We'll try to catch detailed videos of Bee Language in future videos :)





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