As strange as it may sound, bees have a political system that rivals that of human politicians. When a beehive becomes overcrowded, the bees will establish a “senate” of more experienced bees to choose a new home. Once they’ve chosen an appropriate place, they vote on it by dancing as a group until they reach an agreement. Thomas Seeley, a scientist, discovered this astounding discovery.
The bees’ dance, according to Seeley, is a kind of communication that sends information about the location and quality of possible new homes. The more experienced bees will dance for longer lengths of time and with greater intensity, which might influence the younger and less experienced bees’ judgments.
This collaborative decision-making process has been nicknamed “swarm intelligence,” and it is only one example of bees‘ extraordinary social behavior. Bees are also recognized for their selflessness, with worker bees willingly sacrificing themselves to defend the hive and the queen.
The capacity of bees to collaborate for the greater benefit has sparked significant interest and appreciation. As the world’s issues get more complicated, some experts are looking to nature for ideas on how to develop more successful and equitable political systems.
Of course, the bee’s political system is not without defects. Bees, like human politicians, are susceptible to personal prejudices and external influences. However, by studying bees, we may obtain a better knowledge of how to construct more efficient, effective, and equitable systems.
The need of communal decision-making is maybe the most important lesson we can learn from bees. We can improve results for everyone by working together and sharing knowledge. And if we can do it as well as the bees, we might be able to tackle some of the world’s most pressing issues.
