Bored Bumblebees Play With Balls

Researchers from Queen Mary University of London have taught bumblebees to roll little wooden balls around for no discernible reason, which makes bumblebees the first insects known to engage in “play.”

First the team of researchers enticed the bees to roll balls using a sucrose solution treat as a reward. Then they took the sugar out of the equation and observed – for more than 54 hours they observed – as 45 bees rolled the balls around in various patterns. Younger bees played more often, and males played for longer stretches of time than females.

The scientists can’t say what motivates the bees to play. Do they derive something like “pleasure” from a seemingly pointless activity? “This activity did not result in an apparent immediate function, such as gaining food,” the researchers write, “however, bees' repeated interactions with balls suggest that the behaviour was rewarding.”

Besides humans, the only animals known to play with inanimate objects are some mammals and birds (and now insects). The scientists say the behavior is indicative of sentience, that these creatures have inner feelings and experiences. If humans recognize such higher-end complexity in animals, perhaps it will shape our relationships with them, and for the better.

Sure but can bees play soccer?  Apparently, yes they can; see youtube.com/watch?v=FH6LqGP-Zdg.

The new research appears in the journal Animal Behaviour.

Photo credit: Richard Rickitt