BY KASHMIRA GANDER
BEES STUCK IN WATER CREATE WAVES AND ‘SURF’ TO SAFETY, SCIENTISTS THINK.
Honey bees stuck in water can create a wave to “surf” to safety, scientists believe.
When bees land on water, the liquid sticks to their wings and therefore they can’t quickly fly away. To test out how bees are able to escape from such situations, researchers took a pan of water, which they let go still. They placed bees in the water and pointed a light at their tiny bodies so they would cast shadows in the container.
The team behind the study, published in the journal PNAS, watched as the bees used their wings to create waves that pushed them forward. These waves gathered behind the bees, but left the path ahead of the insects remains relatively clear. This propelled the bugs forwards.
* THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE.