When a bee crashes into water, it may still be able to swim to safety.
New research from Michigan State University confirms that honeybees can propel themselves across the water’s surface, and their movement is purposeful and directional. They swim toward darker areas — likely using visual cues to locate the shoreline and escape.
Scientists only recently discovered that honeybees can propel themselves across the surface of water, which is a surprising ability for an insect built for flight, not swimming.