The honeybee waggle dance has long been considered an amazing example of symbolic communication in insect life. Bees use the dance to signal the location of faraway food to other bees in the hive. This week researchers show that the dance is not only symbolic. Dancing bees also emit a smell that is appealing to other bees. The scent may encourage watcher-bees to the dance floor so as to help recruit more foragers for the food. PLoS Biology.
