Scientists in Britain have managed to teach bumblebees to pull strings to get to food and then pass on what they have learned to others in their colony- showing a high level of intelligence despite their tiny brains.
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) said the experiments, often used to test the intelligence of apes and birds, showed for the first time that some insects are up to the task, and can also pass skills on through several generations.
The findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting the capacity for "culture spread" — in other words the ability to learn and pass on knowledge and skills — may not be exclusive to humans but may also be in most animals, including insects.
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