Discovered the unique ability of bees to save themselves from drowning

According to a new study, when bees fall into the water to avoid drowning, they know how to use their wings to move across the water, creating waves with beats to surf in a safe direction.

Engineers at the California Institute of Technology have for the first time reported that this method can help bees move at speeds up to three times their body length, allowing them to bypass resistance.

It all started in the summer when researcher Chris Roh saw a bee trapped in a pond trying to swim. Roh then placed more than 30 individual bees in a pan filled with water and used a beam of light placed directly below the bees to watch their shadows move along the bottom of the pan.

Image of a wave pattern created by the movement of honey bees across the water.

The researchers found that when a bee landed in water, the liquid stuck to its wing and interfered with aerodynamic ability. However, this adhesive allows the bees to pull water and create waves that push them forward.

But these waves are not symmetrical. Instead, a large amplitude wave is created in the water behind the bee while the water in front of it is still relatively static. This asymmetry pushes the bee forward a small amount.

Researcher Mory Gharib said: "The movement of the bee's wings creates a wave that its body can move forward."

Further analysis of slow-motion videos shows that instead of flapping its wings up and down, the bee wings tend to curve downward to push water and upward as the wings pull back out of the water. The wings of bees are also observed to flutter slower and at shorter ranges when underwater.

This method does not allow the bee to push itself out of the water but only allows it to surf towards the edge of the water so that it can eventually escape. The researchers estimate that insects can maintain this movement for about 10 minutes.

On hot days, the hives need water to cool off. So when temperatures rise, worker bees are sent to collect water instead of pollen. Bees find a source of water, swallow some into a special chamber in their body and then fly away. However, sometimes they fall into the water. If they cannot free themselves, they will die.

With this finding, the researchers say it will be of great help to research and manufacture robots in the future.

1. Ability to neutralize insecticide toxicity of honey bees
2. Honey bees 'fight' against the parasite Varroa tick