Previous Year Question
Which of the following organisms perform waggle dance for others of their kin to indicate the direction and the distance to a source of their food?
Butterflies
Dragonflies
Honey bees
Wasps
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Solution
Honey bees perform the waggle dance to inform other bees in their colony about the direction and distance of a food source.
A foraging bee returns to the hive and performs a figure-eight-like dance on the vertical surface of the honeycomb.
The direction of the waggle run conveys information about the direction of the food source relative to the Sun.
The duration of the waggle run is related to the distance of the food source; generally, a longer duration indicates a greater distance.
The repetition and intensity of the dance may also provide information about the quality of the food source.
Honey bees primarily perform a round dance for a nearby food source, whereas the waggle dance is important for a more distant source.
Butterflies, dragonflies and wasps do not perform this type of waggle dance to communicate direction and distance.
Therefore, the correct answer is honey bees.