There is definitely a lot more than meets the eye to the humble, hardworking bee. Not only do they produce honey which has antibacterial and other medicinal properties as well as being a natural sweetener, but they also pollinate the flowers and plants you love to see and smell.
Even if you are not a big fan of the buzzing, flying insect on account of their painful sting, you would find it hard to deny their usefulness.
The most interesting thing though is how little most people know about bees. In the following article therefore we take a closer look at the little black and yellow critters and countdown the top 10 most amazing facts about bees, you probably didn’t know.
Number 10. Bees Use Sun Tracking Techniques Similar To Those Used By Vikings
As you may know, bees use the sun like it’s a compass. What you may not know that on cloudy days, they have a back-up system. They use unique photoreceptors to find where the sun is in the sky and navigate following polarized light.
It is thought that the ancient Vikings used similar methods to travel. On days when the sun was shining, they used sundials to navigate, but when it was grey and cloudy they used what are known as sunstones, calcite chunks that acted like Polaroid filters.
Number 9. Bees Are Affected By Cocaine And Caffeine
Most of us are familiar with caffeine because of those lovely mochas and cappuccinos we gulp down every day. However, caffeine actually has a more important function in the natural world. It’s a defense chemical used by plants to protect them from harmful insects, but attract pollinating insects in.
At Newcastle University, scientists discovered that when caffeine in nectar helps bees remember where flowers are, which makes it more likely for them to return to that same plant. Interestingly though, while caffeine improves bees workmanship, cocaine turns them into liars.
Seriously, bees dance to communicate to show others from their hive where the good food is, but when they are high they incorrectly emphasize how good the food is. It has also been found that bees display withdrawal symptoms to cocaine similar to those that humans suffer from, which enables scientists to study the finer points of addiction.
Number 8. Bees Recognize Faces
Bees use a similar configular processing to recognize faces in the same way that we do. They take the various parts, such as the ears, lips and eyebrows and put them altogether to help them make out the whole face.
This facial recognition technique is being used to help scientists working on improvements to facial recognition software and technology used by Police and other organizations and governments.
Number 7. Bees’ Brain Chemistry Changes When They Change Jobs
Different bees are wired in their brains for certain jobs. For instance, scout bees are the ones who search out food sources, while soldier bees work as security guards.
There is even around 1% of all bees that when they become middle aged, work as undertakers. There is a brain pattern in their genes that makes them want to remove any dead bees they find out of their hive. Interestingly though, honeybees who perform various jobs throughout their lifespan, actually change their brain chemistry before they start a new job.
Number 6. Bees Can Help Police Catch Serial Killers
If you have ever watched a modern crime show about police or other authorities trying to catch serial killers, you will know that most killers follow certain patterns of behavior when it comes to choosing their prey. They tend to commit crimes that are close to their home, but not so close that it will arouse the suspicion of their neighbors.
Bees work in a similar way when collecting pollen – they stay as close to the hive as they possibly can, but far away enough that means their predators can’t locate and attack their hive. Scientists studying and understanding these “buffer zones” better has improved the computer models use when trying to catch killers and other similar criminals.
Number 5. Bees Can Solve Tricky Math Problems
You know what it’s like and you have a list of errands to do and have to go to 5 different places. What is the shortest route you can take so that you visit all 5 places to pick up and do the things you need to do?
In the world of mathematics this is known as the traveling salesman problem’. It can leave even confuse some very powerful computers. For bumblebees however it’s as easy as pie.
At the Royal Holloway University in London, researchers have discovered that bumblebees fly the shortest distance they can between plants and flowers. At the moment, they are the only animal known to be able to solve this particular problem effectively.
Number 4. Bees Have Personalities
Even inside a beehive, there are the ones who work hard and ones who avoid work. At the University of Illinois, research has been conducted to show that, contrary to popular belief, not all bees are rule-following drones.
In fact, the studies discovered that some bees in hives are thrill-seekers, while others are more timid and laidback. In 2011, studies revealed that bees who are agitated can have feelings of pessimism.
Number 3. Bees’ Brains Defy The Laws Of Time
Amazingly, bees can stop their brains from aging. For instance, if an older bee does jobs that are supposed to be carried out by younger bees, their brain stops aging.
Even more incredibly, their brains’ age reverses. Scientists studying this at Arizona State University think it may hold the key to slowing down the development of dementia.
Number 2. Bees Are Changing Medicine
Bees strengthen their beehives by using resin they extract from evergreen and poplar trees known as propolis. In essence, it’s special beehive glue.
Even though bees use it like caulk, humans can use it to fight fungi, viruses and bacteria. Researched conducted on propolis has shown that when it has been taken from a beehive it can be used to relieve various conditions such as eczema, cavities, sore throats, herpes, canker sores and even cold sores.
Number 1. A Bee’s Sting Has Some Incredible Benefits
Bee stings are a pain, but they contain toxins that can help various conditions and illnesses. Or instance, melittin is a toxin found in bee venom that could prevent the development of HIV.
It is able to kill off HIV by poking holes into its protective envelope, while leaving normal cells alone. Research scientists at St Louis’ Washington University are hoping to use melittin can be utilized in gels to help prevent HIV.
It is also thought that bee stings could be used to ease the pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis, due to studies conducted by University Of Sao Paolo that reveal that molecules in bee venom multiply the level of the anti-inflammatory hormone, glucocorticoid.