Bees

Bees

1) The Holy Quran tells us that insects form communities (Surat al-An'am, 38) and
that they can communicate with one another (Surat an-Naml, 18) and work
together to produce food (Surat al-Nahl, 68-9). Modern science, more than 1,400
years afterwards, has accepted that this information is indeed correct. Now,
scientists in the United Kingdom are learning that some of these amazing
creatures may also have feelings and emotions similar to those of humans.

2) At Newcastle University, they are trying to discover how some insects feel. In
recent years, honeybee numbers have been declining worldwide at a disturbing
rate. Many explanations have been given for this. Some say the bees are dying
because of disease and pesticides. Others say it may be due to pollution or
microwave towers. At any rate, this is a very serious situation, for humans as well
as for the bees. At least one-third of the world's crops depend on bees. Farmers
are worried. What about the bees? How do they feel? Are they scared, sad or
depressed?

3) The researchers trained a group of bees to tell the difference between two smells.
After one smell, they were always given a sweet sugar reward. After the other
smell, they were given a bitter substance. They quickly learned to choose the
smell with the sweet prize and to stick out their tongues to get it. The scientists
wanted to see what the bees would do if they were put in a stressful situation.
They shook up half of the bees; to make them think they were in danger. These
stressed bees refused to put out their tongues for new smells, and only chose the
old smell which they knew would be followed by a sweet treat. Even though there
was an equal chance that a strange smell would taste good, it seemed they
believed it would taste bad and were afraid to try it. These bees had become
“pessimists". The other half-the unstressed bees-were much more likely to try
tastes from new smells, thus remaining “optimists”.

4) When humans are stressed, anxious, worried or depressed, they have lower levels
of the brain hormone serotonin. So did the stressed bees. This may mean that the
feelings of anxious and stressed bees are similar to those of humans with mood
disorders. This knowledge, along with further investigations into bee behavior
and "feelings" can hopefully be used to understand and remedy their declining
numbers, for their sake and for ours.