Marc Sevigny:

>How about the dance communication to indicate direction and distance
>of pollen and nectar sources?  Or can the antennae detect that
>movement without the need of light?

Peter Borst:

So far as I know, the current theory is that the dancing is carried
out in the dark and is not affected by light, such as when the same
dances are performed in an observation hive or on a swarm. It is easy
enough to view the hive activities in the dark by using a red light
bulb. In this way one can see but the bees cannot, being red-blind.
It seems clear to me that most of their hive activities are performed
in the dark. Certainly such operations as comb building, nursing
larvae, egg-laying, etc. do not require light.

The dancers actions are sensed by their hive mates in a variety of
non-visual ways. There are odors plumes, vibrations on the comb,
jostling, and assorted touching. Most researchers rule out sight and
hearing, though it is possible that the bee's pick up of vibrations
from the comb is *perceived by them* in a very similar way to how we
hear, or how deaf people sense music through floors, etc. Of course,
what bees perceive is conjectural.

They obviously have a well developed sense of directionality: if you
rap on the hive, they will move toward the vibration. Therefore, one
could imagine that a dancing bee would be able to communicate its
pitch, tempo, and direction to the other bees through the medium of
the comb. These dances are carried out at the bottom of the combs
("dance floor") and in a wild hive these areas are not usually braced
to the wall of the cavity, enhancing their flexibility and
sensitivity to vibration.

Cornell's Tom Seeley is currently doing work on these issues -- see
his books and articles.


Julian O'Dea: Of course, the mystery disappears if the bees are simply
relying on odour:

http://naturalscience.com/ns/articles/01-13/ns_jdo.html


Canberra, Australia