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Honeybees See the Difference Between Numbers - Literally

Posted January 29, 2009 9:00 AM

From Discover Magazine | RSS:

Honeybees have the ability to distinguish and remember visual quantities up to four, according to a new study. Researchers demonstrated that honeybees can match patterns containing the same number of icons, even when the icons are of mixed color and shape. This suggests that honeybees possess a basic number sense that was once thought to be exclusive to vertebrates. Researcher Shaowu Zhang says, "There has been a lot of evidence that vertebrates, such as pigeons, dolphins or monkeys, have some numerical competence but we never expected to find such abilities in insects. So far as these very basic skills go, there is probably no boundary between insects, animals and us"

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#1

Re: Honeybees See the Difference Between Numbers - Literally

01/30/2009 12:41 AM

The only insect that count?

I think they can work in fractions as well.

Apparently the perform a dance to communicate the direction and distance of food. If 4 turns indicate their maximum reach they would need a method of indicating a distance in between.

Our retired headmaster in school had a bee hive (perspex walls) in his lounge. He allowed us to visit him and stare at the lot.

One day he had me take the queen from the hive and hold her in the my hand with all the workers packing around my hand and arm. Quite scaring but safe.

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#5
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Re: Honeybees See the Difference Between Numbers - Literally

02/04/2009 6:12 PM

This data suggests the maximum limit of division in a bees recongnition logic is 4 (1,2,3,4). If the bees are able to do a dance and have an algorithm with a series of 4s, restore, then continue, the question is then how long the bee can keep going with the algorithm. This can explain why the dance is so long versus just saying "go 19476 wing flaps thata way"

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#2

Re: Honeybees See the Difference Between Numbers - Literally

01/30/2009 7:44 AM

Here is research you can do after you're finished watching the grass grow. Why would anyone want to do this? Why would I want to know it?

I am just kidding, I am sure someone needs to know this and its probably better that they are doing this than what I did with my early life.

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#3
In reply to #2

Re: Honeybees See the Difference Between Numbers - Literally

01/30/2009 9:06 AM

UUUUUUUUUUhhhh! Awesome animals too and brave. I'm wondering at how many 'RPM' they may speed up it wings when moving from point A to B? Waoouuhhh!!!

BeeTurbo,

MC

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Anonymous Poster
#4
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Re: Honeybees See the Difference Between Numbers - Literally

02/02/2009 8:34 AM

and now that we have 400 million in our "stimulus" plan for honeybee research, they will probably be able to do calculus in 5 months..!!

How many jobs are we gonna save with that $400 million...? Sometimes I hate our government.

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#6
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Re: Honeybees See the Difference Between Numbers - Literally

02/04/2009 6:16 PM

The research is questioning how brains so small can do soo much. The fact that a bee's brain is so small requires that they do things in time extensive algorithms. Humans perform the same way, but are much more efficient and can perform, think, and communicate complicated matters much faster. Thats why I found this article interesting.

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