Language serves as a remarkable and intricate tool for beings to exchange experiences and convey their perception of the environment. While humans employ a diverse and sophisticated array of phonemes, insects utilize a repertoire of high-speed chemical combinations, pheromone packages, sounds, and movements to share crucial information within their communities. These communication tools not only aid in the search for mates but also contribute to the development of a robust social fabric among various insect groups that have adopted communal living as a strategic adaptation.
In the intricate world of bees, communication is an essential aspect that ensures the survival and prosperity of the hive. Among the various forms of communication employed by these industrious insects, the waggle dance stands out as a fascinating and complex phenomenon. This rhythmic movement is a unique way for bees to convey information about food resources to their hive mates. The waggle dance, discovered by Nobel laureate Karl von Frisch in the 20th century, is a mesmerizing behavior that showcases the remarkable intelligence and social cohesion within bee colonies.
If the food source is nearby, the bee performs a simple round dance. However, if the food is situated at a distance, the bee executes a dance in the shape of an “eight,” accompanying it with abdominal vibrations. The axis of the “eight” denotes the direction to be followed based on the sun’s position, while the duration of the line drawn reflects the distance. How the bee vibrates its abdomen provides insights into the quality of the discovered food. This elaborate dance not only facilitates efficient information transfer but also showcases the bees’ sophisticated ability to convey detailed messages through their unique language of movement.
The waggle dance is not merely a solitary performance; it is a communal effort that involves the entire hive in decision-making. When multiple foragers return with information about different food sources, the hive engages in a collective decision-making process. The intensity and frequency of the dances influence the hive’s choice of which food source to prioritize. This decentralized decision-making ensures that the entire colony is well-informed about the available food resources, allowing for an efficient allocation of foraging efforts.
One of the most remarkable aspects of the waggle dance is its adaptability to changing environmental conditions. Bees can adjust the parameters of their dance to account for alterations in the distance, direction, or quality of a food source. This adaptability is crucial for the survival of the hive, as it allows the colony to navigate and exploit a dynamic and ever-changing environment effectively.
Cynthia: hermoso relato de la vida de la vida en comunidad de estos pequeños insectos. Es apasionante conocer su vida en comunidad. He sido apicultor por muchos años y quedé maravillado de su capacidad de organización para mantener la colmena en forma saludable y un aspecto importante es cómo garantizan la higiene del colmenar. Y, también la organización interna en cuanto a las funciones que tienen cada una de ellas. Las que proveen el néctar de las flores, las que ventilan la miel para que madure, las que limpian la colmena de intrusos o abejas muertas y la impresionante vida de las reinas generando las crías necesarias para la vida normal del colmenar. Hermosas también las fotos. Gracias!! Un abrazo.
Cynthia, hermoso relato del facinante comportamiento de las abejas. Mi padre tuvo colmenas en un tiempo y le encantaba contarme curiosidades sobre el mundo de estos pequeños animales.
Gracias por compartirlo !!
Un abrazo
Me encanta saber de este pequeño mundo que nos rodea y muchas veces ni nos damos cuenta que existe .
Desde el curso con tigo tengo otra visión y éstas historias con las abejas ne encanta era totalmente desconocido para mi ahora les pongo agua tendo varias en casa .
Te sigo con tus facinantes relatos y aprendo mucho .
Muchas gracias.
Tu libro ya lo leí 2 veces.
La proxima te compro otro me gusta.