bees have shown time and time again that they have more to offer than just pollinating and being loyal to a queen. Scientists say that the insects like to play and that they can change their behavior when things seem difficult.
bumblebees like to play with toys when they have the chance, according to a recent study.
The bees were allowed to travel from their nest to a feeding area by the researchers from Queen Mary University of London. Along the way, the bees could choose to go through a separate section with wooden balls. The scientists watched as the bees went out of their way to roll wooden balls.
The insects interact with objects as a form of play. Younger bees were more playful than older bees.
"This research provides a strong indication that insect minds are far more sophisticated than we think," said Chittka, a professor of sensory and behavioral ecology at Queen Mary University of London.
The black and yellow bugs are willing to learn new tricks in exchange for food or other rewards, so Chittka and his team created conditions that would eliminate external variables. They made sure that the bees were acclimatized to their new home and that the environment was stress-free.
The bees that were tracked by age and sex were able to make their way through an unimpeded path to a feeding area or into a chamber with wooden balls. The detour was taken by many. The insects in the video are about twice the size of the bees. Some bees appeared to do somersaults as they held on. Sometimes they would walk in reverse and pull the ball with them.
Most examples of animals who play for fun come from young mammals and birds.
Samadi Galpayage is a PhD student at Queen Mary University of London and the study's first author.
Animals may experience some kind of positive emotional states, even if rudimentary, like other larger fluffy, or not so fluffy. She said that this sort of finding will hopefully encourage us to respect and protect life on Earth ever more.
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