Honey bees drift apart when the hive is infested with parasites.
An international team of scientists has found that bees use social distance when they learn that a parasite exists in the hive. In this way, they protect themselves from it.
This discovery was made by experts from the University of London and the University of Sassari. Scientists have long known that many animals use social distance to protect themselves from infections. Experts studied subtleties of social organization of the hive and found that in the presence of the mite Varroa destructor bees also begin to observe social distance in order to avoid worsening their quality of life.
Experimental results showed that in response to a threat, bees minimize contact with each other. This enables them to increase positive interactions, reducing the risk of infection, Science Advances reports.
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