Q30 - Radar-Tracked Foraging Reveals Bee Route Memory, Not Optimisation

Theoretical A Real exam question - full text reproduced under IBO's CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license

Orientation & Navigation Foraging & Anti-Predator Behavior

Radar, invented in the UK, was used to track the flight of English bees (Apis mellifera). To investigate how bees forage, the following experiment was performed: (1) Fake flowers were filled with syrup, and the bees were released from a nest-box. (2) Bees were given time to build experience of the setup. (3) Syrup was removed from one flower, leaving it empty, and placed in another. (4) Bees were allowed to build experience of the new set up. Representative flights are shown (a & b).

Figure for Q30: Radar-Tracked Foraging Reveals Bee Route Memory, Not Optimisation

Using the information and data, determine which of the statements are true or which are false.

A. Bees continually attempt to optimise the shortest route to harvest syrup from the flowers.

B. Experienced bees do not search for new flowers unless the environment changes.

C. Bees exhibit signs of confusion if they encounter unexpected features on their route.

D. Bees visit all the nutritious flowers within range of their nest.

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Question reproduced from IBO 2017, Theoretical Exam A, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 - attributed to the International Biology Olympiad. Open the full exam PDF · Official answer key & worked solutions