Past research that looked only at the order in which small foragers like birds and bees arrive at each destination, showed that they often find optimal solutions—but it couldn’t explain how the animals decreased flight times. To figure that out, the bee research team set up five artificial flowers, which were not as attractive as real flowers but did offer the bees sweet nectar when they landed. Scientists then tracked the insects over two days as they explored the paths and developed routes.
A bee drawn to an artificial flower keeps figuring out how to get here faster. (Joseph Woodgate)
Like people, bees are creatures of habit. The study’s bees established favorite paths early on and followed them regularly, limiting exploration with time. They also became better navigators with each flight, changing route sequences to improve speed from one feeder to another until they found the best paths, and becoming increasingly adept at their favorite flights. They never became completely set in their ways, however.
The research team believes their work can inform a few very different fields of study. For one, it improves understanding of how bees and other pollinating insects search for food and operate, which can help humans minimize risks posed by habitat loss and increased agriculture. The study also adds to a growing body of knowledge on animal cognition, used to understand both animal and human brains. Lastly, the researchers say, their findings could come in handy for technologists developing machines that navigate. In the future, when your GPS tells you to turn left, you may have a bee to thank for the information.
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A bee drawn to an artificial flower keeps figuring out how to get here faster. (Joseph Woodgate)
Like people, bees are creatures of habit. The study’s bees established favorite paths early on and followed them regularly, limiting exploration with time. They also became better navigators with each flight, changing route sequences to improve speed from one feeder to another until they found the best paths, and becoming increasingly adept at their favorite flights. They never became completely set in their ways, however.
The research team believes their work can inform a few very different fields of study. For one, it improves understanding of how bees and other pollinating insects search for food and operate, which can help humans minimize risks posed by habitat loss and increased agriculture. The study also adds to a growing body of knowledge on animal cognition, used to understand both animal and human brains. Lastly, the researchers say, their findings could come in handy for technologists developing machines that navigate. In the future, when your GPS tells you to turn left, you may have a bee to thank for the information.
- More Here
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