What distance is indicated by the sickle dance in bees?

The sickle dance in honey bees, also known as the "sickle-shaped dance," is used to communicate information about food sources located within a specific range. Specifically, this dance indicates a food source that is between 10 to 30 meters away from the hive.

Bees perform this dance when resources are relatively close, as it allows for efficient communication without the need for a more complex dance that conveys longer distances, such as the waggle dance, which is used for food sources more than 30 meters away. The sickle dance’s particular pattern helps other bees understand not just the distance, but also the direction of the food source relative to the position of the sun.

Overall, understanding the sickle dance is crucial for forager bees to efficiently locate and exploit nearby food sources, helping maximize foraging efficiency in their environment.