It's All About Bee-haviour
When we think of play in animals, puppies and kittens usually spring to mind. Most of us would picture a puppy chasing a ball in the grass or kitten playing with a ball of wool. What if I told you Bumble Bees also like to play. I'll bet you would be hard pressed to picture a bee chasing a ball or playing with a ball of string. Well, that's exactly the behavior that has been observed. No, not playing with a ball of wool, yes, playing with balls is what some bees do. Recent research has added a surprising new contender to the list of playful animals. Those fuzzy-buzzy little pollinators in our gardens have been observed engaging in playful behavior.
A Groundbreaking Observation
The revelation came from a study, published in 2022, by scientists at Queen Mary University of London. In a cleverly designed experiment, researchers presented bumblebees with small wooden balls in an environment that didn’t require the insects to interact with them for food or survival. To the researchers’ amazement, the bees began rolling the balls, repeatedly, and with no apparent reward. This behavior was spontaneous and varied among individuals. Some bees apparently showed signs of preference and some consistency, which is considered a hallmark of play in the animal kingdom.
It's important to note, the bees weren't trained or coaxed into this activity. They did it of their own volition. And they returned to the balls time and time again, even when no food was offered nearby. The implication? Bumblebees weren’t just moving objects around, they were having fun.
Does it Matter?
Scientists believe play is a sign of cognitive complexity. It has been widely documented in mammals and birds, especially those with larger brains. But insects, like bees, have long been thought of as driven almost entirely by instinct.
Challenging a Preconception
Not only does it suggest a level of behavioral flexibility in bees, but it also raises important questions about how intelligence manifests itself in the animal kingdom. We look at bees and wonder if they think about what they're doing? Or are they simply driven by a desire to find food for the hive. Bees, we may think, are thoughtless drones. But if it's shown that creatures with brains the size of a sesame seed can experience joy, or at least engage in purposeless, playful activity, then our understanding of consciousness and cognition may need a serious update. French philosopher René Descartes famously came up with the saying, "Cogito, ergo sum" which in English translates as "I think, therefore I am." From this, Descartes concluded, "The simple meaning of the phrase is that if one is skeptical of existence, that is in and of itself proof that he does exist."
So, can we assume Bees actually think because they have been observed at play.
What Does Play Mean for a Bee
In animals, play is usually characterized by actions that are not immediately useful, are voluntary, and often repeated. Play can be social, think of lion cubs wrestling, or a dog shredding a toy. In bees, the 'game' of rolling balls might serve as a physical exploration, like weight lifting in a human, or stress relief or simply something fun to do when bored.
Some bees in the study rolled the balls dozens of times, often going out of their way to do so. Younger bees were more likely to play, another similarity to mammals. This behaviour may have had no practical benefit and was, quite simply, recreational.
What's in the Insect Mind?
Bees are well know to have fabulous navigational skills Some have shown an ability to count and for solving puzzles in exchange for treats. But the idea of them playing for pleasure opens a new window into the mind of the humble bee.
It also invites a broader ethical discussion, if bees are capable of experiencing something akin to enjoyment, does that make them sentient? If the answer is yes, how should we treat them?
Buzzing Around
This discovery is more than just a charming tidbit for nature lovers, it's a significant leap forward in understanding the emotional and cognitive lives of creatures we often underestimate. Bumblebees, it seems, are not just industrious workers but curious, perhaps even joyful, beings. Next time you see a bee hovering lazily in your garden, is it working, or might it just be playing.
Copyright © Tom Kane July 2025
I'm not renowned as a writer of books about Bees, but, I can safely say there's a buzz about my historical fiction series. Take a look for yourself by clicking on the links below the images.
