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Honey bees learn to count: researchers
ABC.com.au ^
| Oct 26, 2008
| staff reporter
Posted on 10/26/2008 7:23:50 AM PDT by Daffynition
An Australian and a Swedish researcher say they have proved honey bees are more intelligent than previously thought.
Professor Mandyam Srinivasan from Queensland University and Dr Marie Dacke trained honey bees to count by placing food at different markers.
Professor Srinivasan says he has also found bees can learn colours and smells and be trained to fly through complicated mazes.
"The more we look at these creatures that have a brain the size of a sesame seed, the more astonished we are," he said.
"They really have a lot of the capacities that we so-called higher human beings possess."
The scientists also say they have proved honey bees can count to four.
The put five markers inside a tunnel and placed nectar at one of them.
When honey bees were put in the tunnel, they flew to the marker with the food.
Professor Srinivasan says when the experiment was repeated without nectar the bees still flew to the marker that had contained the food.
"We find that if you train them to the third stripe, they will look subsequently in the third stripe," he said.
'If you train them to the fourth stripe, they will look in the fourth stripe and so on.
"But their ability to count seems to go only up to four. They can't count beyond four."
TOPICS: Gardening; Pets/Animals; Science
KEYWORDS: bees
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To: Goonch
Goonch,
In your photo on post 17.... that looks like a bumble bee, NOT a honeybee. LOL
21
posted on
10/26/2008 10:11:25 AM PDT
by
Apple Pan Dowdy
(... as American as Apple Pie)
To: Vaduz
Vaduz,
In reality it is ONLY the female bees (called worker bees) that are productive........ contrary to what you saw in the recent silly bee movie.
22
posted on
10/26/2008 10:13:10 AM PDT
by
Apple Pan Dowdy
(... as American as Apple Pie)
To: Apple Pan Dowdy
“Cheeburger Cheeburger Pepsi-Pepsi! No Coke!”
23
posted on
10/26/2008 10:18:12 AM PDT
by
Goonch
(Bagarius "goonch” Yarrelli - my friends call me Goonch)
To: Apple Pan Dowdy
The thorax of a bumblebee is always black.
24
posted on
10/26/2008 10:24:04 AM PDT
by
editor-surveyor
(Obama isn't just an empty suit, he's a Suit-Bomb trying to sneak into the White House.)
To: Daffynition
""But their ability to count seems to go only up to four. They can't count beyond four."" Hmmmm. May be that's what they want you to think...
25
posted on
10/26/2008 10:30:51 AM PDT
by
mrsmith
To: Goonch
Honeeey Im home!
26
posted on
10/26/2008 1:17:48 PM PDT
by
Daffynition
(The most terrifying words in the English langauge are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.)
To: Ancient Drive
27
posted on
10/26/2008 1:19:16 PM PDT
by
Daffynition
(The most terrifying words in the English langauge are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.)
To: Daveinyork
Poor olde Hamlet didn't know how many flying insects had stung him. That's why he said, "Two bees or not two bees."
28
posted on
10/26/2008 1:32:20 PM PDT
by
Daffynition
(The most terrifying words in the English langauge are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.)
To: Apple Pan Dowdy
I love this! Thanks for posting it. In the scheme of things we know so little about the critters that surround us.
Look at this snail maze, e.g., I mean really ...
29
posted on
10/26/2008 1:35:58 PM PDT
by
Daffynition
(The most terrifying words in the English langauge are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.)
To: Daffynition
30
posted on
10/26/2008 1:55:23 PM PDT
by
Goonch
(Bagarius "goonch” Yarrelli - my friends call me Goonch)
To: Daffynition
""They really have a lot of the capacities that we so-called higher human beings possess."
And some we don't
31
posted on
10/26/2008 2:06:24 PM PDT
by
Goonch
(Bagarius "goonch” Yarrelli - my friends call me Goonch)
To: Daffynition
32
posted on
10/26/2008 2:13:14 PM PDT
by
Goonch
(Bagarius "goonch” Yarrelli - my friends call me Goonch)
To: Daffynition
B Cup - tee hee
33
posted on
10/26/2008 2:30:14 PM PDT
by
Goonch
(Bagarius "goonch” Yarrelli - my friends call me Goonch)
To: Goonch
I'm prepared ...
34
posted on
10/26/2008 2:53:26 PM PDT
by
Daffynition
(The most terrifying words in the English langauge are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.)
To: bert; Apple Pan Dowdy
I happen to be enthralled with hummingbirds ... and they have unique communication skills as well. We really know so little. It is humbling.
35
posted on
10/26/2008 3:01:29 PM PDT
by
Daffynition
(The most terrifying words in the English langauge are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.)
To: Dysart
So I hear ... from the queen of the spelling bee ....
36
posted on
10/26/2008 3:03:42 PM PDT
by
Daffynition
(The most terrifying words in the English langauge are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.)
To: Goonch
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
<
37
posted on
10/26/2008 3:07:51 PM PDT
by
Daffynition
(The most terrifying words in the English langauge are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.)
To: A knight without armor
38
posted on
10/26/2008 3:21:39 PM PDT
by
Daffynition
(The most terrifying words in the English langauge are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.)
To: Daffynition
39
posted on
10/26/2008 4:01:10 PM PDT
by
Goonch
(Bagarius "goonch” Yarrelli - my friends call me Goonch)
To: Daffynition
40
posted on
10/26/2008 4:05:07 PM PDT
by
Goonch
(Bagarius "goonch” Yarrelli - my friends call me Goonch)
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