Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM)

On approach, all bees faced broadly toward north. On departure however, the bumblebees did not have a preferred compass orientation across the three groups, although they did have focused directions within each group, particularly during the initial phase of the learning flight.

This contrasts with results from a previous study where bees that experienced the same landmarks on approach to and departure from a flower all faced in the same direction during their learning flight.

Clear differences were found between each experimental group of bumblebees with respect to which landmarks they faced during their learning flight. Again, this contrasts with the same prior study, where bumblebees who approached and departed from a flower with the same landmarks mostly faced a common landmark during their learning flight.

However, the peculiar pattern that emerged – WEST bees focusing on the west landmark, NORTH bees focusing on the east landmark, and EAST bees focusing on the north landmark – rather than something consistent across all three groups (e.g. facing the familiar landmark or facing the unfamiliar ones), it is unclear. It is possible that an interaction between the landmark experienced on approach and some more distant panoramic feature resulted in each group of bees focusing in their own particular direction on departure.

Bumblebees do learn about the landmarks around a flower while approaching, and this influences where they look during their learning flight.