Honey bees
communicate
using vector calculus and directional… mamba!!
A forager uses dance to communicate the position of nectar sources
she discovered. If the dance is in straight lines towards the upper part
of the hive, that means the flowers or source of food can be found by
following the sun’s position.
If the dance is downwards, towards the bottom of the hive, that means the
flowers will be found by traveling away from the sun.
If the bees dance left or right, that will indicate the direction of the
blooming nectar source… in relation to the sun. For instance, a 45° angle
to the left of the hive’s top will indicate a corresponding direction to take to
find the flowers!
The duration of the bee’s dance and the amount of vibrations in that dance
describe exactly the proximity of the nectar source from the colony… the
longer the dance, the further away the flowers!
And you want your mind blown even more? Then check this out: Every 4
minutes the sun’s angle shifts by a single degree… so you would think bee’s
directions, after 15 minutes of flight and 10 minutes description to the
colony would be off… but that’s not the case!
Every four minutes, directly corresponding to the sun’s path in the sky, the
bees will adjust their dance so their directions are always timely.
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