Scientists have identified an unexpected similarity of bees to people

As it turned out, the bees are “righties” and “lefties”.

Entomologists from the University of Queensland (Australia) found that bees may have an individual inclination to the right or left side. This tendency affects the decision-making and navigation in space. Unlike humans, bees have a number of “lefties” and “righties” are about the same. In addition, a significant portion of the bee population — ambidekstr: for right and left sides are preferred equally.

During the experiments, scientists also found that bees distinguish space larger and smaller volume and, if necessary, prefer to choose larger (and potentially less dangerous). To determine which bees are “right-handed” and which “lefties”, the scientists took 100 field bees and inflicted on them a colored label to distinguish insects from each other.

Then bees were placed in a 120 cm tunnel with a bait-feeder at the end and a fork in the middle. To overcome the fork, the bee had to choose one of the two holes, left or right. At different stages of the experiment, the researchers changed the diameter of the holes.

When one hole was twice the other, 80% of the bees chose to fly through more. But when the holes were the same, the bees showed individual characteristics; 55% chose a path at random, arbitrarily passing on the right, then left. The remaining 45% was divided into “right-handed” and “left-handed”: they repeatedly chose “their” side.

Taking away the bees from these 45%, the researchers continued the experiment with holes of different diameter. it turned out that the bee-“Lefty” needs more time to decide if the hole located on the left, less the next, and Vice versa. When the hole with the dominant hand more (and therefore safer and more comfortable) with the “uncomfortable” part, a bee makes a decision almost instantly.

Bees joined the list of animals that are predominantly right – or levonorgestrelonly. To them, except man, are macaque-rhesus, rat and marmoset, as well as ants and bees. Some species of locusts prefer to use the right and others the left limb.

For locusts choosing a “favorite” side of the body is likely a way to shorten the time spent on decision-making and, therefore, a way to increase the reaction rate. Under the assumption of Australian scientists have bee the dominant party has a different function: it is needed to optimize the group flight.

“Imagine that a bee swarm you need to work your way through the dense thickets. If all the insects (or most) prefer one side, it would be dangerous and uncomfortable. However, do not have such preferences too dangerous then. faced with a choice, the bees would choose a more spacious air corridor.

Easier and safer all natural way to be divided into three groups, the majority of which will choose the passage size, and the other two would gravitate equally to the left or right side,” the scientists explain in an article published in the journal PLоS One. The strategy that uses a swarm of bees, may be useful to software developers for teams of unmanned aerial vehicles, say the authors.

paradox