Bumblebees learn new 'trends' in their behavior by watching and learning
Published:28 Mar.2023 Source:Queen Mary University of London
A new study has shown that bumblebees pick up new "trends" in their behaviour by watching and learning from other bees, and that one form of a behaviour can spread rapidly through a colony even when a different version gets discovered.
The research, led by Queen Mary University of London and published in PLOS Biology, provides strong evidence that social learning drives the spread of bumblebee behaviour -- in this case, precisely how they forage for food.
Dr Alice Bridges, the lead author from Queen Mary University of London, said: "Bumblebees -- and, indeed, invertebrates in general -- aren't known to show culture-like phenomena in the wild. However, in our experiments, we saw the spread and maintenance of a behavioural "trend" in groups of bumblebees -- similar to what has been seen in primates and birds. The behavioural repertoires of social insects like these bumblebees are some of the most intricate on the planet, yet most of this is still thought to be instinctive. Our research suggests that social learning may have had a greater influence on the evolution of this behaviour than previously imagined."