The conclusion follows a study at the Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and is rather surprising. “After all, there are many animals that play for fun, but most of them are mammals and birds,” said Lars Chittka, professor of behavioral ecology. Insects are usually ascribed a less complex role. “But this research leads us to suspect that the minds of insects may be more complex than we thought.”
During the study, scientists monitored 45 bumblebees in experimental arenas. In these arenas the bumblebees could choose between a room with sweets or a room with wooden play balls. And so the balls were rolled up to 117 times during the experiment, although there was no direct reward associated with this.
In an additional test, the two rooms were given a different color. Once the wooden balls were removed, the bumblebees invariably chose the color previously associated with the balls. Even more striking, the younger the bumblebee, the longer they played with the balls. Male bumblebees also lasted longer than the females. “It’s mind-boggling and sometimes even funny to see bumblebees play. It just goes to show that, despite their small size, they are more than robotic creatures.”