This may seem like something you’d see on an acid trip, but it’s actually a real thing that giant honeybees do! This action is called “shimmering” and it’s a form of communication.
A Coordinated Trick
It does look quite like a doomsday signal; but that’s sort of the point. A doomsday for wasps anyway. These wave-like patterns are produced for defence purposes to ward off predators, particularly wasps, and even sometimes large herbivores. When a threat is spotted in the vicinity of the nest, a coordinated effort is made to produce shimmering.
Okay, But What Does Shimmering Do?
Shimmering has two main functions. First, it alerts other bees to join in on the activity until the entire hive is involved. Second, it deters enemies by appearing confusing, misguiding, and somewhat hypnotizing. Essentially, the wave effect makes it difficult for the predator to single-out any individual honeybee to attack. It also warns herbivores that the bees are there and the tree or shrub should not be approached.
A Whole Military Operation
Scientists have found that specific bees are responsible for initiating the shimmering in response to a threat. These bees have been aptly nicknamed “Special Agents.” Special Agents will detect a threat, then thrust, or flip, their abdomens 90° in an upward direction and shake them synchronously (read: twerking). They release the Nasonov pheromone, which signals other worker bees to return to the colony to participate in the shimmering defence display. This pheromone also assists in synchronizing the bees’ movements.
There are also “Flying Guards” involved in this tactic. Their role is far more aggressive in that they dart out from the hive and physically attack the predator. This doesn’t necessarily involve stinging them, but if it comes down to it, they will. The Flying Guards are the oldest and most experienced bees of the hive, and their job carries the greatest risk. Interestingly, in addition to older bees having fully developed stingers, they also carry the most potent venom.
Are You Smarter Than A Honeybee?
Self-organizing, synchronized, rhythmic wave-like activities, like shimmering, are incredibly rare and have been observed in only three other species. One, an amoeba, Dictyostelium discoideum, forms circular, spiral waves as a type of energy pulse. Two, fireflies perform synchronized flashing to couple-up for mating. And three, humans sometimes perform “the wave” in e.g. a sports stadium because, well, um, for fun, I guess.
World War Bee
All species of bees have their own unique defence tactics. That is just one reason why bees are absolutely incredible and may one day take over the world (you heard it here first folks). The shimmering behavior described is specific to giant honeybees.
Giant Honeybees
Giant honeybees (Apis dorsata), also known as rock bees, are native to South and Southeast Asia. They grow to slightly less than an inch (20 mm) long, making them the largest species of honeybee. They prefer plants that produce a lot of pollen, and they build their hives in a unique style – that is, under-hanging branches or cliffs. Like all honey, their honey has strong antimicrobial properties, and it is sought after by locals for its medicinal properties. Moreover, scientists have found that giant honeybee honey is highly effective against E. coli and P. aeruginosa infections.
What The Bees Are Trying To Tell Us
It seems that the only thing the bees are trying to tell us is that they’re there, and we should leave them be (bee).
Conclusion
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