Bees are smarter than MAGAts - Honeybees Use Social Distancing When Mites Threaten Hives
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By examining videos recorded inside the hives, the team found that when the hive is infested with mites, foraging bees – which tend to be older members of the colony – performed important dances to indicate the direction of food sources, such as the waggle dance, away from the centre of the colony where the young bees, the queen and brood cells are found.
That, said Cini, may help to keep the infection at a level that can be controlled, limiting the amount of damage. “Foragers are one of the main entrance routes for the mites,” said Cini. “So the more they stay away from the brood and the young individuals, the better it is in terms of preventing the spread of the mites within the colony.”
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Cini said the study showed the power of natural selection in the evolution of social behaviour. “And also dynamic change in the social behaviour to adapt to an ever-changing environment,” he said.
MORE:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/29/honeybees-use-social-distancing-when-mites-threaten-hives-study