Nature often surprises us with intriguing connections that can shed light on human behavior and health. One such fascinating link lies in the relationship between bees and alcohol.
Like humans, bees get intoxicated by ethanol — the intoxicating component of alcohol. In the early 2000s, scientists began in-depth research into the behavior of bees when drunk. Since then, several studies have been done on the effects of alcohol on bees, how much they can drink, how it affects their social and community network, and possible ways to treat alcohol dependence.
Can bees get drunk?
These insects can get intoxicated, and studies have shown they are experts at holding liquor. Honey bees predisposed to alcoholism can consume fermented sugars with concentrations as high as 20 percent. Some have been observed drinking the equivalent of a person drinking up to 10 liters in one sitting.
Like humans, a drunk bee experiences impaired motor coordination, becoming less coordinated. Sometimes they become so drunk that they cannot move, lie on their backs, and wiggle their legs.
Unfortunately, some bees become so intoxicated that they lose their way back to the hives or get into accidents where they collide with trees and die. Yet other species, such as the Africanized bee, become even more aggressive after drinking alcohol.
Where do bees get alcohol?
Typically, nectar contains a high sugar concentration and very little water. This prevents microbes, such as yeast, from growing, and the nectar remains as it is. But if it rains or humidity increases, the moisture content in the flower may increase, making the nectar more susceptible to fermentation, turning it into booze.
Tree sap, such as the sap from the lime tree, can also ferment in high temperatures making bees drunk.
Do bees like alcohol?
It is difficult to know if they like alcohol, but they happily drink it whenever they find it. As mentioned, some have been seen drinking copious amounts of alcohol. In some lab studies, they have been seen drinking alcohol with up to 95 percent concentration.
“We can get them to drink pure ethanol, and I know of no organism that drinks pure ethanol – not even a college student,” said Charles Abramson of Ohio State University. He is among the pioneers of studying intoxicated bees and how they may help to understand and treat human alcohol addiction.
Do bees get addicted to alcohol?
It is undetermined whether they get addicted to alcohol like humans, but their tolerance increases once they take alcohol. If a bee has taken alcohol before, it becomes less impaired than those who have never taken a sip.
How does drinking affect a bee’s relationship with other bees
If a drunk bee finds its way back to the hive, others will immediately recognize that it is drunk. Besides flying oddly and bumping into objects, they may also be off during the waggle dance — one-way bees communicate and identify members of their hive.
Drunkenness is not tolerated in bee hives. These are industrious creatures that don’t tolerate those incapable of doing their part. So drunk bees are banned from entering the hive by guards. Being banned is exceptionally severe because a drunken bee may be unable to protect itself from predators.
However, at times, the guard bees mete an even harsher punishment by attacking the drunk bee and ripping off its limbs one by one. And once the legs are torn off, the unfortunate bee can’t survive and eventually dies.
Is alcohol harmful to bees?
Harsh as it may seem, the mentioned punishment of expulsion or “leg torture” is necessary because alcohol harms the individual bee and the whole colony. Their fermented nectar may affect the honey batch, paralyzing the bee hive.
Also, the punishment serves as a lesson to others not to stray too far from the hive.
Parallels between bee and human intoxication
As mentioned, there are similarities between the effects of alcohol on humans and bees. Both experiences altered judgment, impaired motor skills, and disorientation when drunk. The underlying mechanisms may differ, but the observable behaviors show some commonalities. These similarities have led scientists to investigate the link between human and bee intoxication more closely.
Today, these insects have become valuable model organisms for studying alcohol addiction in humans. They offer more straightforward and more accessible experimental systems than mammals, allowing researchers to measure and control specific variables precisely. By exposing them to alcohol and carefully observing their behavior, scientists can see how addictive substances affect the brain and reward systems.
For instance, they’ve observed that vomit-inducing Antabuse has similar effects on bees as it does on humans. Antabuse is a drug used to support the treatment of alcoholism by preventing the processing of alcohol in the body.
Implications for human addiction treatment
Insights gained from studying bees may have far-reaching implications in human addiction treatment. By examining key genes and neural pathways in addiction, scientists can develop targeted medications to counteract the effects of alcohol and alcohol cravings in humans.
Also, the bees have been used to test alcohol interventions and therapies before moving to human clinical trials.
Conclusion
The connection between bees, alcohol, and human addiction is an interesting research area showing the interconnectedness of the natural world. While they do not intentionally brew or seek alcohol, their exposure to fermented nectar provides researchers with a unique model for studying addiction — and maybe why humans have a taste for alcohol.
This research may lead to better preventive measures and medications, giving hope to addiction patients.
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