Chapter 1
The discovery of the code
Chapter 2
The mechanics of the waggle
Chapter 3
The sensory hive experience
Chapter 4
Beyond food and democratic decisions
YOUR GOAL
Master of The secret dance of honeybees
Ch 1 · The discovery of the code
misslily The Honeybee Waggle Dance
We trace the angle of the sun (of the sun!) to show them where the nectar runs (yeah, we do!)
misslily Bees use different dances depending on how far away the food source is located.
misslily Many scientists initially refused to believe that tiny-brained insects could perform complex mathematical calculations.
BETA
misslily Decode the bee's waggle dance to discover how they share directions to sweet nectar.
Fun Fact
Nobel prize bees: Karl von Frisch won the Nobel Prize in 1973 specifically for decoding the secret dance language of honeybees.
Glossary
waggle dance (noun)
A series of rhythmic movements performed by a honeybee to communicate the location of food to other bees. Austrian zoologist Karl von Frisch deciphered this behavior, earning a Nobel Prize in 1973.
A series of rhythmic movements performed by a honeybee to communicate the location of food to other bees. Austrian zoologist Karl von Frisch deciphered this behavior, earning a Nobel Prize in 1973.
Quiz
Which ancient Greek philosopher wrote about honeybees recruiting others but missed the dance language?
Quiz
What is the simple dance honeybees perform when food is less than 50 meters away?
Quiz
What technology did scientists in 2005 use to finally prove bees follow dance directions?
Quiz
How long did Karl von Frisch spend studying honeybees before winning his Nobel Prize?
Quiz
What was the main alternative theory proposed by skeptics who doubted the waggle dance?
Quiz
In what decade did Karl von Frisch first publish his breakthrough findings on the waggle dance?