Bumblebees’ sense of direction rivals that of humans, study finds

Bumblebees have a great navigation ability despite their small brain size, according to a new study conducted at Lund University in Sweden. The results of this research could potentially be used to develop navigation robots in crisis situations where GPS does not work, for example.

According to the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesBumblebees appear to be able to orient themselves as well as vertebrates, and in some ways their sense of direction is superior to that of humans. The study shows that bumblebees can store multiple spatial memories in their brains to use when needed.

Bumblebees’ navigational ability relies on their constant monitoring of direction and distance during flight. With this information, the insects can store their navigation experiences in their long-term memory through spatial vectors created in the brain. This ability allows them to return home directly after long and difficult journeys.

“Our study provides important clues to understanding how bumblebees can apparently achieve mammal-like navigational feats despite having brains the size of pinheads,” says Rickesh Patel, a sensory biologist at Lund University.

The results of this new research can serve as a basis for technological applications, for example for the development of robots, especially for complex navigation tasks requiring computationally and energy-efficient solutions. According to Patel, the new findings could also be used in the field of robotics, which would have a broader impact.

For example, the way bumblebees handle geographic information could be useful for autonomous navigation robots that must operate without GPS satellites. Robots with this capability could prove very useful in search and rescue missions during crises such as earthquakes, in war zones, or in caves where satellite signals may be difficult to exploit.

Patel and his colleagues say the study is also of general interest to how we perceive animals, because it shows that insects can perform complex navigation like humans do despite their small brains and relatively limited cognitive abilities.