North Carolina Bee School Practice Exam

What does drifting refer to in bee behavior?

1. A bee leaving its hive unnoticed

2. Bees going from one colony to another

3. Foraging in distant areas

4. Resting on flowers

The correct answer is: Bees going from one colony to another

Drifting refers to the behavior where bees from one colony venture into another colony's hive. This can happen for various reasons, such as environmental factors, the appearance of the colonies, or similar scents between colonies. Bees are known to drift, especially when they are unable to find their way back to their own hive or when they are confused, leading them to enter a nearby hive. This behavior can potentially affect the population dynamics of bee colonies and can either spread resources or contribute to conflict over resources. The other options describe different behaviors that bees engage in but do not accurately capture the essence of drifting. For example, a bee leaving its hive unnoticed describes a more solitary action rather than the colony-to-colony behavior described by drifting. Foraging in distant areas pertains to the search for food rather than interacting with other colonies, while resting on flowers does not relate to the movement between hives at all. Thus, the correct understanding of drifting is crucial for comprehending colony interactions among bees.