Honeybees: The Masters of Democracy We Should Emulate
This summer, an unexpected swarm of honeybees took up residence between the screened porch ceiling and the deck above. The fortunate part is that their entrance is exterior, not posing any threat to my house. While I may not know how much they've learned about me, I've certainly been gaining insights into their world.
My immediate concern is to ensure their safety. I cannot allow them to establish a hive inside the house structure, which could potentially last for decades. Honeybees are essential allies, and I'm committed to preserving them. But how does one safely remove and relocate these buzzing residents before a curious black bear sniffs out their sweet honey stores? It's a situation that makes one exclaim, "Yikes!"
Thankfully, two experienced local beekeepers have come to my aid. Our plan, set for later this fall, involves cutting out the section of the deck floor where the hive is likely attached and transporting the entire hive to a more secure location in Charlotte. Let's keep our fingers crossed for success.
While waiting for the honeybees to stock their winter supply of honey, I've delved into learning more about these fascinating creatures. Some excellent sources I've consulted include local naturalist Mary Holland's book "Naturally Curious" and bee behavior specialist Tom Seeley's work, "Honeybee Democracy."
In the woods around my home, there are numerous inviting tree cavities for honeybees to choose from. So why did they decide to settle in my porch? The answer lies in the intriguing world of honeybee democracy.
Each honeybee hive is a thriving community consisting of siblings, primarily female worker bees, and a mother queen. Although the queen holds a position of power, she doesn't dictate every decision. Surprisingly, honeybees operate as a democracy.
Specialists have observed that a colony of tens of thousands of bees communicates predominantly through movements, functioning as both individuals and a cohesive super-organism. One striking example of this is the unique dance language employed by worker bees to convey the location of food sources, which includes direction in relation to the sun and distance. Group decision-making becomes crucial when a portion of the colony needs to relocate to a new home.
In early summer, it's common for a hive to sense that their space has become cramped or that it's time for the queen to lead part of the colony in establishing a new hive. Drones take on the role of scouting potential locations. They venture out separately, covering long distances in search of sites offering the necessary protection and food sources.
When a drone discovers a promising spot, they return to the colony and perform a dance to report their findings. Worker bees who are enthusiastic about the location will mimic the dance. As several drone reports come in, the competition intensifies. Drones reaffirm their choice by dancing once more, and worker bees cast their votes by participating or abstaining. This process continues until a clear majority of worker bees support the same location.
What's truly remarkable about this democratic process is that the final decision rests with the collective group, based on a wealth of information gathered from numerous sources by multiple individuals. The option is considered until more than half of the affected bees are convinced to support one choice. Once that threshold is reached, the colony commits to the selected site.
There is much more to uncover about honeybees, but these two aspects have deeply impressed me and fostered an even greater appreciation for the honeybees that, albeit inconveniently located in my porch, play a pivotal role in my life. Honeybees are responsible for pollinating around one in three bites of the food I consume, and their democratic decision-making process highlights how they excel in working together for the greater good of their community, a lesson that humans can certainly learn from.
🐝🗳️ #Honeybees, #DemocracyInNature, #Pollinators, #NatureInsights
