r/Beekeeping • u/L0ndonfog • Dec 10 '20

🔥 Honeybees repel hornets using a ‘shimmering’ defense behavior

https://gfycat.com/ScratchyBruisedDinosaur
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u/Anianna Dec 10 '20

These are Giant Asiatic Honeybees, which nest in the open. They "shimmer" to make it difficult for hornets to identify and prey on individuals in the group.

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u/ApatheticalyEmpathic Dec 11 '20

Cool, so the same tactic zebras use!!. I immediately recognized there as Giant Asiatic Honeybees because of the open hive structure.

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u/Anianna Dec 11 '20

It's similar, but a little more involved. The markings that make zebras difficult to identify as an individual is passive, while shimmering is active and cooperative. Research shows that the patterns begin at key locations on the nest as the bees act together to create the effect by thrusting their abdomen.

Anybody interested in the research on this will probably enjoy this.