Each year, honeybees choose a new nest site through a complex, democratic process.

A hive of honeybees acts together as a single, brilliantly organized unit.

Scout bees spread the word about potential nest sites, and gradually reach agreement.

Mistakes are a rarity when it comes to choosing a new nest site.

When the time comes to move, a swarm of honeybees acts with remarkable cohesion.

We can learn a lot from the democratic decision-making process of honeybees.

Every year, two-thirds of the honeybees in a swarm will leave their home and spend a few days in a tree. Meanwhile, an intrepid group of scout bees will conduct a thorough evaluation of potential new homes in the vicinity. The careful and effective process that honeybees have evolved enables them to almost always make the right choice – and it’s a process that could serve as a model for good decision-making to us all.

Honeybees evaluate potential nest sites carefully to find the best possible new home.

First off, we should note that, in addition to the obvious ones, there are some surprising differences between humans and bees. The most important is that honeybees always have a shared common goal: the survival of the hive. People, in contrast, often work toward different goals. But in situations where people’s interests match up – say, at a town council meeting or a committee – bees can be a model for how to behave. A good first lesson is to place little emphasis on leaders. The scout bees’ opinions all count equally so there’s no risk that one bee will force the swarm into a poor decision. Too often, human leaders force bad choices on a group. A second lesson is to always look for multiple solutions. Scout bees fly in different directions when looking for nest sites, maximizing the number of possibilities. In the same way, it’s good practice in any group situation to make sure all options are on the table before you commit. Third, consider using the bees’ approach to decision-making. If a group needs a good decision, not necessarily a perfect one, it’s sometimes worth pressing ahead once it’s clear an idea will definitely work – even if it doesn’t have universal approval. Just like the scout bees do when initiating the swarm’s move to a new home.

Honeybees make decisions collectively--and democratically. Every year, faced with the life-or-death problem of choosing and traveling to a new home, honeybees stake everything on a process that includes collective fact-finding, vigorous debate, and consensus building. In fact, as world-renowned animal behaviorist Thomas Seeley reveals, these incredible insects have much to teach us when it comes to collective wisdom and effective decision making. A remarkable and richly illustrated account of scientific discovery, Honeybee Democracy brings together, for the first time, decades of Seeley's pioneering research to tell the amazing story of house hunting and democratic debate among the honeybees. In the late spring and early summer, as a bee colony becomes overcrowded, a third of the hive stays behind and rears a new queen, while a swarm of thousands departs with the old queen to produce a daughter colony. Seeley describes how these bees evaluate potential nest sites, advertise their discoveries to one another, engage in open deliberation, choose a final site, and navigate together--as a swirling cloud of bees--to their new home. Seeley investigates how evolution has honed the decision-making methods of honeybees over millions of years, and he considers similarities between the ways that bee swarms and primate brains process information. He concludes that what works well for bees can also work well for people: any decision-making group should consist of individuals with shared interests and mutual respect, a leader's influence should be minimized, debate should be relied upon, diverse solutions should be sought, and the majority should be counted on for a dependable resolution. An impressive exploration of animal behavior, Honeybee Democracy shows that decision-making groups, whether honeybee or human, can be smarter than even the smartest individuals in them.

books

Books

How honeybees make collective decisions—and what we can learn from this amazing democratic process Honeybees make decisions collectively—and democratically. Every year, faced with the life-or-death problem of choosing and traveling to a new home, honeybees stake everything on a process that includes collective fact-finding, vigorous debate, and consensus building. In fact, as world-renowned animal behaviorist Thomas Seeley reveals, these incredible insects have much to teach us when it comes to collective wisdom and effective decision making. A remarkable and richly illustrated account of scientific discovery, Honeybee Democracy brings together, for the first time, decades of Seeley's pioneering research to tell the amazing story of house hunting and democratic debate among the honeybees. In the late spring and early summer, as a bee colony becomes overcrowded, a third of the hive stays behind and rears a new queen, while a swarm of thousands departs with the old queen to produce a daughter colony. Seeley describes how these bees evaluate potential nest sites, advertise their discoveries to one another, engage in open deliberation, choose a final site, and navigate together—as a swirling cloud of bees—to their new home. Seeley investigates how evolution has honed the decision-making methods of honeybees over millions of years, and he considers similarities between the ways that bee swarms and primate brains process information. He concludes that what works well for bees can also work well for people: any decision-making group should consist of individuals with shared interests and mutual respect, a leader's influence should be minimized, debate should be relied upon, diverse solutions should be sought, and the majority should be counted on for a dependable resolution. An impressive exploration of animal behavior, Honeybee Democracy shows that decision-making groups, whether honeybee or human, can be smarter than even the smartest individuals in them.

Similar ideas

Some bee species defend their hives with giant balls of heat

Honeybees live according to a strict hierarchy

A working group's transformation