NOW BEES ARE SOCIAL DISTANCING

BEES are using social distancing to prevent their colonies being ravaged by a virus-spreading parasite.

- JOHN WARD

Honeybees responded to an infestation by the harmful Varroa mite by modifying their interactions, much as humans did during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In particular, they increased the distance between young bees in the innermost part of the colony and older forager bees in the outermost area.

Scientists from University College London and the University of Sassari in Italy compared populations that were infested with those that were not.