By Dean Murray via SWNS
Bumblebees have been observed playing with Lego – for science.
A groundbreaking new study reveals that teamwork by the insects isn’t simply a result of accumulated individual efforts.
Rather, the “miniature-brained” creatures are not just hard-working pollinators but also show signs of being master collaborators.
In the study, conducted at Finland’s University of Oulu, pairs of bumblebees were trained to gain access to tasty nectar in two different cooperative tasks.
One featured a block-pushing exercise in which pairs of bumblebees were taught to shove Lego together to uncover access to the treat.
The bees learned to simultaneously push a Lego block in the middle of an arena and to simultaneously push a door at the end of a transparent double tunnel to reach their reward.
Lead researcher, Associate Professor, Dr. Olli Loukola, says: “The study’s findings challenge conventional notions of insects, and the ability to work together towards a common goal is present even in the miniature brain of bumblebees.
“Our findings show for the first time that bumblebees can learn to solve novel cooperative tasks outside the hive. But the coolest part of this work is that it clearly demonstrates that bumblebee cooperation is socially influenced, and not just driven by individual efforts.
Bees’ turning behaviors hint at the possibility that they are intentionally working with each other to facilitate cooperation. However, Dr. Loukola warns: “Whether bumblebees truly understand the role of their partner will require further research with more detailed monitoring of their behavior during cooperation.”
The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
