ARTICLES
Bees can learn Higher Numbers than we thought (continued)
shown to be able to count and discriminate numbers up to four,
but not beyond. We wanted to know why there was a limit at four
– and whether they can actually go further.
The group that only received sweet rewards could not successfully
learn to discriminate between four and higher numbers, but the
second group did reliably discriminate the group of four items
from other groups containing higher numbers. Therefore, we see
that bees’ ability to learn higher number discrimination depends
not just on their innate abilities, but also on the risks and rewards
on offer for doing so.
Best bee-haviour
Bees are surprisingly good at mathematics. We recently
discovered that bees can learn to associate particular symbols
with specific quantities, much like how we use numerals to
represent numbers.
Bees are able to learn to do this type of difficult task if they are
given a sugary reward for choosing the correct association, and
a bitter liquid for choosing incorrectly. So if we wanted to push
bees beyond the four threshold, we knew success would depend
on us asking the right question, in the right way, and providing
useful feedback to the bees.
We trained two different groups of bees to perform a task in
which they were presented with a choice of two different patterns,
each containing a different number of shapes. They could earn
a reward for choosing the group of four shapes, as opposed to
other numbers up to ten.
Bee’s-eye view of either four or five element displays that could
be discriminated. Inserts show how we normally see these
images. webp
We used two different training strategies. One group of ten bees
received only a reward for a correct choice (choosing a quantity
of four), and nothing for an incorrect choice. A second group of
12 bees received a sugary reward for picking four, or a bitter-
tasting substance if they made a mistake.
Our results have important implications for understanding how
animals’ brains may have evolved to process numbers. Despite
being separated by 600 million years of evolution, invertebrates
such as bees and vertebrates such as humans and fish all
seem to share a common threshold for accurately and quickly
processing small numbers. This suggests there may be common
principles behind how our brains tackle the question of quantity.
In the test, bees flew into a Y-shaped maze to make a choice,
before returning to their hive to share their collected sweet
rewards.
The evidence from our new study shows bees can learn to process
higher numbers if the question and training are presented in the
right way. These results suggest an incredible flexibility in animal
brains, of all sizes, for learning to become maths stars.
Each experiment conducted with a single bee lasted about four
hours, by which time each bee had made 50 choices.
The Science Teachers’ Association of NSW and “Science
Education News” sincerely thank ‘The Conversation’ for its policy
of encouraging republication of its articles, all having been written
by academics or PhD students who are experts in their fields.
SEN is also very grateful to the authors of this article, Dr Adrian
Dyer, Jair Garcia and Scarlett Howard, for endorsing this policy,
as well for this truly fascinating article. – Ed.
Bees were individually trained and tested in a Y-shaped maze
where a sugar reward was presented on the pole directly in
front of the correct stimulus. Author provided
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SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 68 NO 4