Figure 8 Dance - How do bees communicate?

Bees do a Figure 8 Dance to tell each other where the best flower party is.

Imagine you're playing hide-and-seek in your neighborhood, and you find a super fun spot with lots of friends hiding, you want to tell your friend where it is so they can join in too! That's what bees do when they find a flower party full of nectar (the sweet snack that helps them make honey).

When a bee finds a great flower party, it goes back to the hive and starts doing the Figure 8 Dance. It moves in a circle, first going one way, then switching directions, like drawing an 8 on the floor with its body.

Other bees watch this dance and understand where the flower party is. If the bee danced fast, that means the flower party is close by. If it danced slow, it’s far away, just like when you walk slowly to a friend who lives far away!

This way, all the bees can go find the best flower parties together, making more honey and having lots of fun in the hive.