[Animals] They discover that bees are not so individualistic: they learn to help each other to survive

[HuuGo0]

Research reveals that these insects know how to develop mutual support techniques to overcome obstacles

Moving a Lego piece can become an insurmountable obstacle for a small bumblebee. But it's not so much for two. Collaboration between members of the same species is vital to face a world full of difficulties, but until now it was believed that this was a characteristic limited to large mammals, such as primates and humans. However, thanks to a new study, we now know that it is also key to the proper functioning of hives.

Until now, it was believed that the synchronous activity of hives simply corresponded to a series of individual works that accumulated to generate a better result. However, a latest study, published in Proceedings of The Royal Society B, shows that behind each movement there is a much more complex reality.

Several researchers from the University of Oulu in Finland set out to see what the behavior of these bumblebees was based on. They were invited to share a task: move a Lego block across the sand or push the same door at a time to get nectar.
When they learned to do it alone they acted without any intention of helping their partner. However, when they did it having learned to do it in unison with another bee, their behavior was very different. The bees that learned to collaborate waited for their partner to push (the door or the Lego) or were more likely to do so when they did it together.

Ability to work together
"The study's findings challenge conventional notions about insects, and the ability to work together toward a common goal is present even in the miniature brain of bumblebees," says lead researcher and associate professor Olli Loukola. This means, in his opinion, that bees can be taught “to solve new cooperative tasks outside the hive.”

The fact that they turned around to “wait” for their partner has led them to think that these relationships between members of the same species are based on socialization, and not on a sum of individual efforts. Not surprisingly, this “rotating” behavior suggests the possibility that they are collaborating intentionally.

This could have repercussions on one's own conception of how hives work. And, although there is scientific certainty that each bee has a different job due to a combination of genetics, hormones and need, this latest information could add a new ingredient to that combination. Loukola, however, is cautious about this possibility and warns that, to know for sure, “investigations with more detailed follow-up will have to be carried out” to evaluate precisely this cooperation.

For the signatories of the article, this research can contribute to a better and broader understanding of the behavior and evolution of animals. “It can also inspire new research on the evolution of social intelligence and cooperation in different animal species,” reaffirms Loukola, who emphasizes that this information, which assimilates the behavior of such diverse animals to humans, can also create more empathy among people. po[CENSORED]tion, which can impact environmental protection and animal welfare.
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