How Do Bees Know Where to Go When They Fly?

Bees use a special kind of map in their brains to find food and go back to the hive. When they fly out, they watch how far away things are and where the sun is. They remember that information like a super-smart robot, so when they come back, they can follow the same path using these clues.

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Examples

A bee flies out to a flower field, watches the sun move across the sky, and returns to the hive using those same clues.
A bee sees a red flower while flying and remembers it as a landmark on its way back home.
A bee follows a path it took before because it remembers how far it walked and in what direction.

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Categories: Biology · bees,navigation,insects,animal behavior,pollination