Environment and Ecology
2023
Ecology & Ecosystems
Biodiversity

Which of the following organisms perform waggle dance for others of their kin to indicate the direction and the distance to a source of their food?

C.Honeybees
D.Wasps
A.Butterflies
B.Dragonflies

Correct Answer: Option C

The waggle dance, a specific form of communication, is performed by worker honeybees to convey the location of food sources to other members of their colony.

The dance conveys two key pieces of information:

  • Direction: The angle of the bee's movement in relation to the hive indicates the direction of the food source. A vertical movement signifies that the source is directly towards the sun.
  • Distance: The duration of the "waggle" part of the dance indicates the distance to the food source.

This behavior was decoded by Karl von Frisch, an Austrian scientist.

Honeybees use the waggle dance to communicate the direction and distance of food sources.

Hence, option (c) is the correct answer.