Dr. Thomas Seeley Pt. 2: 10 Unusual Bee Behaviors

Featured Guest: Dr. Tom Seeley – Professor Emeritus at Cornell University, renowned honey bee researcher, and author of six influential books including Honeybee Democracy and Piping Hot Bees and Boisterous Buzz Runners.

In this fascinating conclusion to our conversation with renowned honeybee biologist Dr. Tom Seeley, we journey deep into the intricate world of honey bee behavior, decision-making, and hive life. Every beekeeper needs to hear this!

From the poetic dance of foraging to the precise mechanics of swarming, Dr. Seeley reveals what decades of research have uncovered about one of nature’s most sophisticated societies.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• The Tremble Dance Decoded – How a long-standing honey bee mystery was finally solved.
• Swarming Secrets – Experiments on a remote island that revealed how bees measure nest size, organize takeoff, and navigate to a new home.
• Democracy in the Hive – How collective decision-making among nest site scouts mirrors—and differs from—human systems.
• The Unsung Resin Collectors – Why a few dedicated bees make all the difference in hive health.
• Specialization & Genetics – How bee “career paths” may be influenced by lineage and environment.
• Drone Congregation Mysteries – The little-known aerial courtship rituals of queen bees and drone bees.

It's all about having fun while we learn about beekeeping and sharing the love of honey bees!

__________________

Video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/CHHkMffkUbA

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Mann Lake! https://www.mannlakeltd.com/

Mann Lake discount code: MLBEELOVE10 for $10 off your first $100 order.

https://www.beelovebeekeeping.com/

[email protected]