Short answer Bumblebees repeatedly rolled small balls without a food reward. Researchers found that the behavior met criteria for animal play.
Researchers placed small wooden balls in front of bumblebees.
A clear route led straight to food. Yet the bees took a detour to roll the balls.
Do they get a snack for that?
In this experiment, rolling a ball earned no food. Still, the bees returned and did it again.
Researchers found that this behavior met criteria for animal play.
In another experiment, the bees preferred the color of a room associated with ball rolling. A ball had become a stop on the way to lunch.
Gotta eat. But first, that ball.
Sources
Photo credits
- Bombus terrestris rolling ball (video still), Hiruni Samadi Galpayage Dona, Cwyn Solvi, Amelia Kowalewska, Kaarle Mäkelä, HaDi MaBouDi, Lars Chittka, CC BY 4.0 (source)
- Bombus terrestris rolling ball (silent excerpt; half-speed source restored to real time), Hiruni Samadi Galpayage Dona, Cwyn Solvi, Amelia Kowalewska, Kaarle Mäkelä, HaDi MaBouDi, Lars Chittka, CC BY 4.0 (source)
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