Honey-bees can navigate using the position of the sun, polarized light and landmarks. They can ‘tell’ other bees about the distance and bearing to sources of food using a well developed symbolic language based on movement and sound. They can also regulate the temperature of the nest to an exact degree using heating and cooling systems of immense complexity. As long as it has water and food, a colony placed on the sides of a volcano or iceberg will maintain its brood nest at 34º C (93º F). It is these facets of the honey-bee’s ability that have caused it to be one of the most researched insects on earth, and all countries maintain at least one institute devoted to bee research, and many universities have bee research departments.
So, could you manage to keep these highly complex creatures? The answer is yes, you could – if you knew how to, and that can be learnt from this in the nature. It is not difficult at all, as long as you know what you are doing.
