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Bees and plants communicate via electric signals, say scientistsQuicklink submitted by Kyle McDermott Permalink,
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 Researchers suspect the plant's electrostatic force causes the bee's hair to bristle. by Diego Azubel/EPA |
Bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) can detect flowers' electric fields, scientists have discovered. Results indicate floral electric fields improve the bees' ability to discriminate between different flowers. When used with visual signals, electrical cues can enhance the bee's memory of floral rewards. Researchers suggest this method of signalling provides rapid and dynamic communication between plants and pollinators. 'There's always this electrical bias around. As a sensory biologist, suddenly I thought: can the bees sense that?' Prof Robert said. 'Animals are just constantly surprising us as to how good their senses are. More and more we're starting to see that nature's senses are almost as good as they could possibly be,' Mr Clarke told BBC Nature. Prof Robert summed up: 'We know they can detect these electrostatic fields' this is the tip of the iceberg... |
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