North Carolina Bee School Practice Exam

What is the name of the dance performed by forager bees to indicate the location of good nectar?

1. Round Dance

2. Waggle Dance

3. Figure Eight Dance

4. Dance of Abundance

The correct answer is: Dance of Abundance

The dance performed by forager bees to communicate the location of good nectar sources is known as the waggle dance. This dance is a crucial part of the bee's collective foraging behavior, as it conveys specific information about the distance and direction of the resource in relation to the sun's position. When a forager returns to the hive, it performs the waggle dance by moving in a figure-eight pattern and waggling its body during a straight run. The duration of the waggle phase indicates the distance to the nectar source, while the angle of the dance in relation to the vertical axis of the hive communicates the direction. The round dance is performed when resources are very close, typically within about 50 meters, and does not provide directional information like the waggle dance. The figure eight pattern describes the shape of the movements used in the waggle dance but is not a commonly recognized term for the dance itself. The term "Dance of Abundance" is not a standard name for any bee dance and does not accurately describe the specific behavior associated with indicating the location of nectar.