Scientists have shed light on how our most famous pollinators find their way around. The answer, of course, is that they use bee routes.
One study showed that bumblebees follow paths and trails created by humans to navigate.
The findings could lead to the creation of special “bee highways” for nature conservation projects and help farmers get the best yields from their crops.
It was already known that bees perceive the appearance of the world around them. Most previous studies, however, focused on the role of large landmarks and the shape of the skyline.
The researchers knew that other living things, such as carrier pigeons, appear to be following human roads – so could it be possible for bees to do something similar?
Joanna Stephanie
