Communication

Communication between bees is, in most cases, carried out by pheromones. The bees that guard the colony or that are near the entrance of the beehive feel the smell of those who want to enter, if this is not characteristic the guards expel the intruder. When a virgin queen leaves on her nuptial flight, she launches a pheromone that attracts the drones and another when she feels ready to mate. By beating another organism, the bees release an alarm pheromone that alerts the others to imminent danger and draws them in to defend the colony. Pheromones are still used to guide the return to the hive. Finally, an extremely important pheromone is the one that is released by the queen and controls the behavior of the colony, avoiding the maturation of the ovaries of the workers and indicating that it is well and does not need a new queen. Bees can see and differentiate colors (about 2000, which puts them second after humans) such as yellow, green, blue, violet and ultraviolet, although they do not distinguish red.

They use antennas to check the length and width of the combs at the time of construction and to communicate during dances. One of the most characteristic is that in which a bee gives information to its congeners of the same colony regarding the sources of food. Once returned to the hive with pollen or nectar, she elaborates a dance on the combs vertically, and the other workers position the antennas facing her.

Circle Dance in alternating circles left and right. It is used by honeybees to indicate the presence of a source of nectar close to the hive.

Fanatic Dance Indicates the distance and direction of a source of nectar farther away. The bee moves in a straight line, wagging its abdomen and returning to its starting point.

Dance at eight It is used by the Italian bee. It moves in an eight-flat pattern flattened to indicate intermediate distance. The dancer is always followed by her companions

Circle Dance

Fanatic Dance

Dance in eight