Bees and Electric Fields

Bumblebees have a unique ability to sense electric fields, which helps them gather information about their surroundings. Pollen is negatively charged, while bees are positively charged due to friction with the air. This charge difference allows bees to detect the amount of pollen in flowers and determine if other bees have recently visited a flower. When a bee lands on a flower, it alters the flower's electric field, providing clues about the flower's resources. This electric field sensing enables bees to decide whether a flower is worth visiting.

What causes bumblebees to have a positive charge?

• Contact with flowers

• Sunlight exposure

• Friction with the air

• Their diet

How do bumblebees use electric fields to find flowers?

• By sensing the flower's scent

• By detecting the color of the flower

• By feeling the electric pull on their hairs

• By listening to the flower's sound

What information can bees gather from the electric field of a flower?

• The flower's age

• The amount of pollen available

• The flower's size

• The flower's color

How can bees tell if other bees have visited a flower?

• By the flower's scent

• By changes in the flower's electric field

• By the flower's color

• By the flower's size

Why is it beneficial for bees to sense changes in a flower's electric field?

• To navigate back to the hive

• To communicate with other bees

• To find the best flowers with resources

• To avoid predators