The audience shapes the information content of the honey bee waggle dance
3 institutional releases
Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · View the paper (DOI)
A recent study on honey bees' waggle dance reveals that the dance's precision is influenced by audience size and composition. When there are more observers, dancers become less precise, suggesting that the performer adjusts its movements to engage with a larger crowd, ultimately conveying critical information about food sources.
Coverage from 3 institutions
- Bee dancing is better with the right audience
- Honey bee waggle dance depends on its audience, study finds Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters · Mar 23, 2026