Bees Crack the Code: Bumblebees Learn to Read ‘Morse Code’
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have discovered that bumblebees can distinguish between short and long flashes of light — effectively reading a simple form of Morse code.
Just as a short “dot” stands for an “E” and a long “dash” for a “T,” bees learned to associate different flash durations with either a sweet reward or a bitter taste. Even when the lights were moved, they still chose correctly — showing they were responding to timing, not position or scent.
“It was amazing to see them figure it out,” said PhD student Alex Davidson. “Bees don’t encounter flashing lights in nature, yet they mastered the task.”
This surprising skill suggests bees have a built-in sense of time, a trait once thought unique to humans and certain vertebrates. It could also inspire more efficient designs in artificial intelligence — proving that even miniature bee brains can teach us big lessons.
📖 Read the full study in Biology Letters: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rsbl