Scientists discover honey bees can count

Australian and German scientists say they have discovered honey bees can tell the difference between different numbers at a glance.

The researchers, led by Professor Shaowu Zhang of the Australian National University and Professors Hans Gross and Juergen Tautz of Wurzburg University in Germany, showed bees can discriminate between patterns containing two and three dots. With a bit of schooling, bees can learn to tell the difference between three and four dots.

However, the researchers said the honeybees couldn’t reliably tell the difference between four dots and five or six.

Zhang said the findings demonstrate bees can count up to four landmarks on their way from their hive to a food source. This new research shows they can tell the difference between different numbers — even when we change the pattern, shape or the color of the dots, he added.

The study is detailed in the on-line journal PLoS One.