Honey bees don’t start out knowing how to find flowers or
even how to get around outside the hive. Before they can forage, they must
learn how to navigate a changing landscape and orient themselves in relation to
the sun.
In a new study, researchers report that a regulatory gene
known to be involved in learning and the detection of novelty in vertebrates
also kicks into high gear in the brains of honey bees when they are learning
how to find food and bring it home.