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Biology

Collective Decision-Making in Honeybee Swarms During Nest-Site Selection

Quick fact

A honeybee swarm can choose the best nest site among several options by having scouts 'vote' through waggle dances, and when a threshold number of scouts agree on one site, the swarm lifts off and flies to it—a process that takes hours and can cover miles.

Why this is interesting

If a honeybee swarm had to choose its new home, would you trust a single scout? Surprisingly, the entire swarm makes a collective decision that outperforms any individual—how?