Human-influenced environments can confuse Bee waggle dance

[NoLifeLine]

New research into the benefits of honeybee waggle dancing suggests the communicative rump-shaking isn't always useful. When the information conveyed by waggle dancing is irrelevant or nonsensical, bees ignore it.

Evolutionary biologists think bees have been waggle dancing for 20 million years. But a new study suggests the unique form of communication is often ineffective -- and humans' influence on the environment could be to blame.

Read the full article here

 

[For want of a better word]

New research into the benefits of honeybee waggle dancing suggests the communicative rump-shaking isn't always useful. When the information conveyed by waggle dancing is irrelevant or nonsensical, bees ignore it.

Evolutionary biologists think bees have been waggle dancing for 20 million years. But a new study suggests the unique form of communication is often ineffective -- and humans' influence on the environment could be to blame.

Read the full article here

Replace the words honeybee waggle dancing with forums and internet .....

 

[domino]

By human influence, they mean the team conducting the experiment manipulating the hive with glass windows to make it more difficult for them.

 

[Repwoc]

So they found that bees were confused when their hive was rotated about it's vertical axis? (Scientists reoriented a hive horizontally ...). Really? I can't believe that evolution hasn't accounted for that situation. I mean, trees are always rotating about their vertical axes aren't they?

 

[Murox]

The ability of honeybees to filter different pieces of information has never been in doubt, after all they have been around for a long time. What is in doubt is the ability of humans to make astute and insightful observations regarding their behaviours.