Honey bees use different types of dances in order to communicate with each other. We already saw the waggle dance, but what are the other different bee dances?
In addition, learn more about different bee dances, why and how bees do them:
The round dance
Purpose of the dance: To let other bees in the colony know about the presence of nectar forage within 10 meters from the hive.
How they do it: Bees make small circles.
The cleaning dance
Purpose of the dance: To notify other bees in the colony about the need for cleaning.
How they do it: Bending their legs while shaking their bodies.
The happiness dance
Purpose of the dance: Notifying other bees in the colony for some great happiness, like the birth of a new queen bee.
How they do it: Place their front legs on top of each other and move their bellies up and down.
The massage dance
Purpose of the dance: Even though it may seem unbelievable, bees also have the need for massages. By doing this dance, they notify other bees about the need for a massage.
How they do it: They move their heads in a certain angle. When a bee does this dance, the others respond by pulling the legs and touching its lateral sides.
The warning dance
Purpose of the dance: To warn about a certain danger, like the contamination of a food source.
How they do it: Energetic vibrating and doing spiral zig-zag movements.
The trembling dance
Purpose of the dance: To inform other bees that they are carrying a big amount of nectar that needs to be processed in the hive.
How they do it: Laisurly walking with a special movement of the body that makes the whole bee’s body swing.
The shaking dance
Purpose of the dance: To inform other bees that their help is needed. In this case, worker bees have found an enormously rich nectar source.
How they do it: Worker bees shake in front of the hive.
The buzzing dance
Purpose of the dance: To encourage the colony for leaving the hive in the process of swarming.
How they do it: Bees move quickly and buzz. Also, they shake their bodies and move their wings.
Read more about the waggle dance.
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