Skip to main content

Microchipped bumblebees show that worker bees act a lot like humans

Bumblebees fitted with microchip backpacks have offered researchers a unique glimpse into the hidden world of colonies. As it turns out, when it comes to dividing up the workload, bees behave a lot like human beings.

“[Microchips have] been used in a few other studies,” Avery Russell, an Arizona State University graduate student who lead the study, told Digital Trends, “Our novel contribution was to figure out how to track pollen and nectar foraging trips, and to link behavior to morphology of the bees.”

Recommended Videos

Using superglue, the researchers attached small RFID chips to the bees’ backs. Each chips weighed between two and three percent of the bee itself so as to not interfere with the bee’s flight.

“The transponders allow us to identify each bee as an individual and, when they communicate with the tag readers,” Russell said. “They give us the information on what the bee was foraging for, when, for how long, and how often.”

Russell and his team discovered a handful of worker bee characteristics that seem to resemble those found in humans.

For one, individually bees carried the weight of their group tasks differently — some were slackers while other made forty times as many foraging trips in a given day. Bees also proved to be “short-term specialists” and “long-term generalists,” according to Russell, preferring to forage primarily for nectar or pollen over the course of the day, but balancing out during their brief lifetime. The bees’ patterns of specialization (the way they behaved) were also not related to their morphology (the way they looked).

Although America’s bumblebees don’t suffer from the colony collapse disorder that’s devastating honey bee populations, our native bees are still at risk.

“Bumblebees (like the buff tailed bumblebee on the endangered species list) are declining drastically in numbers,” Russell said. “Bumblebees are very important pollinators for fruits and vegetables. Many of our crops are pollinated mainly by these native bees and not by honey bees (for instance, eggplant, tomato, blueberry, cranberry, chili pepper). Our work helps us understand how these animals forage for diverse floral nutrients and why animals specialize on a given foraging task.”

A paper detailing their study was published this month in the journal Scientific Reports.

Dyllan Furness
Former Contributor
Dyllan Furness is a freelance writer from Florida. He covers strange science and emerging tech for Digital Trends, focusing…
The Ioniq 5 is once again eligible for the $7,500 tax credit
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5

After a brief and confusing absence, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is once again eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax credit — and this time, it's sticking around (at least for now). So, what happened? Let’s unpack the ride.

The Ioniq 5, a sleek and tech-savvy electric crossover, initially made headlines not just for its design, but for being built at Hyundai’s brand-new Metaplant in Georgia. That domestic assembly qualified it for the EV tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which requires vehicles to be made in North America with batteries sourced from trade-friendly countries. But early in 2025, the Ioniq 5 vanished from the list. Why? Likely due to its battery packs, which were then still being sourced from SK On’s Hungarian facility.

Read more
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more