It is estimated that approximately 90% of the world’s plants rely on bees for survival. Bees are crucial pollinators and play a significant role in our ecosystem. These small insects exhibit remarkable teamwork within their colony, always ready to assist their fellow workers. The video shared by sararussellphotography depicts worker bees not only aiding a distressed bee from their own colony but also helping one from a different colony. Does this demonstrate that bees are inherently compassionate beings?
A Bee in Need
Bees have a sophisticated system of communication within their colonies, utilizing various signals depending on the situation. These signals include pheromones, stop signals, and vibrations. Pheromones serve as a warning of danger, while stop signals halt colony movement in the face of a threat. Vibrations are used for internal communication within the hive, alerting others to potential dangers.
When a bee sends out any of these signals, fellow colony members immediately come to its aid. This collaborative effort extends to critical situations, such as the one depicted in the video. Worker bees in the hive work together as a unified collective, providing care and support. However, this assistance is typically reserved for bees within the same colony, making the behavior in the video particularly noteworthy.
Assisting Bees from Other Hives
Bees usually only help bees from different hives if they are healthy and could contribute positively as a worker. The merging of hives is typically managed by professional beekeepers. In the case of the bees in the video, their behavior could be attributed to being part of an apiary, where they may be more inclined to help bees from other colonies.
In the wild, bees are more defensive, protecting their hives vigorously. They have guards stationed at hive entrances to ward off intruders. However, the bees in the video, being in an apiary, may exhibit different behaviors due to their managed environment. Their instinct to protect and assist bees in distress is inherent, showcasing a lesson in kindness from the insect world.
