quote:
I'll speculate a bit and suggest bees in flight may establish a route memory
 based on the 'edges' that flow past its horizontal peripheral visual field.
 ... Horridge (1999) showed that bees can learn edge cues but it is
 not likely they 'memorize' entire patterns. So I don't think bees hold
 entire 'cognitive maps' in their wee bee brains. They may remember the
 'termophores' ... and their sequence but not the whole visual landscape en
 route.

In a way, you are describing the very nature of a map. Just as a road map is
a schematic for the actual: it shows only the edges, using colored lines to
represent roads, giving no real info like traffic conditions, road
conditions, hills, etc) and may eliminate peripheral info like sidestreets,
buildings, etc. Significant landmarks may be included like lakes, rivers,
monuments, etc. Or a topo map: it represents altitude by a system of lines --
again, the edges of reality. Even our mental pictures are very superficial
and include just the info we need to make our way, unless we happen to be
more observant, noting other features that "interest" us. Noting non-
essential features is probably a human trait and one that is taught,
partially by watching movies our whole life -- developing this interest in
the aesthetic. I doubt that any non-human creature pays much attention to
non-functional apsects of the environmemt.

pb