Waggle dances...

[Mike Coon]

Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design
Subject: Re: Honeybees 'Whoop'

One of the most fascinating things on bees I saw on TV. Bees do a dance
near the hive that signals to the other bees the direction and distance
to where the good flowers are at that they found.

It's actually within the hive, in the dark. So tactile message is ideal!
I've seen the other use of this communication. It happens in the open
when a swarm heads off to found another colony. The bees form a
temporary bivouac and scouts look for somewhere permanent. They come
back and do a waggle dance just as if foraging. Eventually a consensus
forms and all the bees head off to their new home. Magic!

Mike.

[Tina]

Post by Mike Coon
Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design
Subject: Re: Honeybees 'Whoop'

One of the most fascinating things on bees I saw on TV. Bees do a dance
near the hive that signals to the other bees the direction and distance
to where the good flowers are at that they found.

It's actually within the hive, in the dark. So tactile message is ideal!
I've seen the other use of this communication. It happens in the open
when a swarm heads off to found another colony. The bees form a
temporary bivouac and scouts look for somewhere permanent. They come
back and do a waggle dance just as if foraging. Eventually a consensus
forms and all the bees head off to their new home. Magic!
Mike.

I saw a waggle dance when I was staying in Germany with my friend who
kept bees. I spent some of my time there helping put honey in jars. But
the worst thing for the bees were the hornets, they hung around her
hives all the time - they eat bees.
This was very rural Germany, 20 houses in the village. 12 km to the
nearest shop. Whilst out walking we found the hornet's nest in a hole
in a metal gatepost. I saw my first Serins there and they only have red
squirrels. I really wanted to see the wild boar, so we sat out at night
near a pond, watching the bats swooping over the water, but when I heard
some crashing around like the wild boar were here, I ducked out and
raced back to the house. Such a dumbwit, my only chance to see them in
the wild and I wasn't brave enough :-(

[Mike Coon]

Post by Tina
I saw a waggle dance when I was staying in Germany with my friend who
kept bees. I spent some of my time there helping put honey in jars. But
the worst thing for the bees were the hornets, they hung around her
hives all the time - they eat bees.
This was very rural Germany, 20 houses in the village. 12 km to the
nearest shop. Whilst out walking we found the hornet's nest in a hole
in a metal gatepost. I saw my first Serins there and they only have red
squirrels. I really wanted to see the wild boar, so we sat out at night
near a pond, watching the bats swooping over the water, but when I heard
some crashing around like the wild boar were here, I ducked out and
raced back to the house. Such a dumbwit, my only chance to see them in
the wild and I wasn't brave enough :-(

Thanks for that sad story! At last paying enough attention, I realised
that your name rang a bell. Googling I discovered we exchanged (for
instance) comments in 2013 about jackdaws dropping cherry stones down
your chimney. Also that if you still live in Colby Drive you are only a
few streets away from a long-term sailing mate of mine! Small world, and
all that...