Europe PMC · 2025-10-27
Honeybees survive in unpredictable environments by coordinating four interconnected systems — brain function, communication, division of labor, and sensory perception — rather than relying on any single strategy. This review synthesizes research across these areas to map how bees adapt as a collective superorganism.
Honeybee adaptive strategies operate as a synergistic network across at least four systems — brain function, chemical and dance communication, division of labor, and sensory processing — none of which functions independently.
The bee brain shows measurable plasticity in response to pesticide exposure, with documented molecular and structural changes that affect colony-level behavior and survival.
No prior systematic review had mapped the multidimensional interactions among these adaptive systems, leaving a gap that limits resilience-focused breeding programs aimed at sustaining pollinator populations.