Group decision making in nest-site selection by honey bees

Abstract

In recent years, renewed attention has been paid to the mechanisms of group decision making that underlie the nest-site selection process in honey bees. We review the results of these new investigations by discussing how the recent work builds on the earlier descriptive studies of this decision-making process, how the decision-making abilities of swarms have been tested, and how the mechanisms of this decision-making process have been experimentally analyzed. We conclude by discussing how the scouts in a swarm sense when their group decision making is coming to an end and so should begin stimulating their quiescent swarm-mates to prepare for the flight to their new home.