Bees Flashcards
(21 cards)
What a Bee Knows: Exploring the Thoughts, Memories and Personalities of Bees
What complex feelings do bees demonstrate according to Buchmann’s research?
Optimism, frustration, playfulness, fear
What symptoms have experiments shown bees can experience?
PTSD-like symptoms
What critical role do bees play in agriculture?
Pollination of approximately one-third of the American diet
How does the USDA classify commercially managed bees?
As livestock
What does Buchmann argue about bees’ cognitive abilities?
Bees are self-aware, sentient, and possibly have a primitive form of consciousness
What is ‘colony collapse disorder’?
A phenomenon where entire honeybee hives die within a single season
What factors does Buchmann suggest contribute to the decline of bee populations?
Pesticide use and psychological stress from industrialized agriculture
Why is research on bee emotional lives raising ethical questions?
It challenges the treatment of bees in agriculture and research
What surprising behavior did bees exhibit in Chittka’s predator avoidance study?
“They showed false alarm behavior, rejecting safe flowers”
It shows how bees weigh risk vs reward and demonstrates a form of cognitive bias or cautious generalisation in their behaviour — a sign of surprisingly sophisticated decision-making for insects.
What neurotransmitters were studied in relation to bee behavior?
Dopamine and serotonin
Fill in the blank: Bees have their own internal _______ pleasure centers.
Opioid
What is the challenge bees face as pollinators according to Chittka?
Memorizing the landscape and evaluating flower options
What is the current legal status of insect welfare in the United States?
No animal welfare laws protecting insects or invertebrates
How many colonies of bees are trucked to California’s almond groves every February?
More than 2 million colonies
What is the estimated annual profit of California’s almond industry?
More than $11 billion
What is BeeHero’s approach to monitoring bee health?
Using electronic sensors to monitor sounds and tonal vibrations
What concerns does Buchmann have about technological solutions for bee welfare?
He believes solutions should address root causes of industrial agricultural practices
True or False: Both Buchmann and Chittka believe that creatures without a backbone have rights.
True
What aspect of bee lives do Buchmann and Chittka hope to change?
How bees are treated in agriculture and research
What has changed in California’s almond groves over the years according to Buchmann?
Reduced diversity of flowering plants and habitat for bees
