RECENT EXPERIMENTS SHOW THAT bumblebees join a select group of animals - mostly primates and birds - capable of passing on new behaviours by cultural transmission.
The study tested buff-tailed bumblebees' ability to learn to open sugar-filled containers, a challenge that had two equally effective possible solutions. Inexperienced bees learned the task faster if they'd watched an experienced individual complete it first. And the solution eventually adopted by the colony was the one demonstrated initially.
Bu hikaye BBC Wildlife dergisinin May 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye BBC Wildlife dergisinin May 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Flightless birds
Our pick of 10 curious birds that have lost the ability to fly
ALL YOU EVER NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT THE Shoebill
THIS PREHISTORIC-LOOKING BIRD IS affectionately known by some as 'king of the marshes' as it is huge (up to 1.5m tall with a 2.4m wingspan) and resides in the freshwater marshes and swamps of East Africa.
Slime: protector, lubricant and glue
GOO, GUNGE, GUNK... WHILE THERE are many names for the stuff that makes things slippery or sticky, slime isn't a single material but a label for a variety of substances with similar physical properties. Those qualities are desirable to many living things, which is why slime is made by such a wide range of organisms.
How do parrots learn to swear?
THERE ARE FEW THINGS AS GLORIOUSLY entertaining as the effing and blinding of a potty-mouthed parrot.
Why are walruses so chubby?
AS A GENERAL RULE, TERRESTRIAL mammals are furry, while aquatic ones are fat. It doesn't work across the board: sea otters rarely leave the water but have the densest fur of any mammal.
What is the lotus effect?
WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF WATCHING the clock on the wall of a dentist's waiting room, you can always pass a bit of time with a rummage through the bowl of fragrant botanical wonders next to the leaflets about expensive cosmetic work.
Are there any plants in Antarctica?
CONTINENTS DON'T COME ANY MORE inhospitable than Antarctica, where life must contend with the longest, darkest, coldest winters and a year-round blanket of snow and ice.
LANDLORD OF THE WILD
The humble aardvark is seldom praised for its work digging out homes for other animals
CRACK DOWN
As the new Amazon drama Poacher hits our screens, we take a look at the fight to end ivory poaching in India
Wild words
Spending time observing and writing about the natural world can be transformational