A new analysis of honeybee vision suggests their ability to distinguish quantities is not a trick of visual patterns, but evidence of genuine numerical cognition shaped by how their brains see the world.
Understanding the mechanisms underlying animal cognition requires experimental designs and analyses that respect the biological and perceptual constraints of the species being studied. Zanon et al. addressed an ongoing debate regarding the role of visual spatial frequency in numerical cognition studies, using honeybees (Apis mellifera) as a model system. Image credit: PollyDot.
In the study, Monash University researcher Scarlett Howard and colleagues re-examined previous critiques of honeybee intelligence by accounting for the insect’s unique sensory and perceptual constraints.
By evaluating experimental stimuli from a biologically relevant perspective, the researchers demonstrated that previous criticisms, which suggested bees were merely sensitive to visual cues like spatial frequency, do not hold up.
“The findings underscore the importance of avoiding human-centric biases in animal research,” Dr. Howard said.
“We must put the animal’s perspective first when assessing their cognition or we may under or overestimate their abilities.”
“We see and experience the world quite differently from animals, so we must be careful of centering human perspectives and senses when studying animal intelligence.”
According to the team, to accurately assess cognitive abilities, experiments must be designed to match the natural sensory capacities of the subject species.
“Ignoring how an animal perceives the world risks leading scientists to the wrong conclusions,” said Dr. Mirko Zanon, a researcher at the University of Trento.
“There has been a debate about whether bees are really ‘counting’ or just reacting to visual patterns.”
“Our results show that this criticism doesn’t hold when you consider the biology of the animal.”
“When we analyze the stimuli in a way that reflects how bees actually see the world, what remains is actual sensitivity to number.”
“It can be challenging to put ourselves in the mind of a bee to imagine how they see the world, but trying to see the world through an animal’s eyes is an essential part of our work,” Dr. Howard said.
“The bees always surprise us with how they move through the world, interpret our questions, and make decisions.”
The study was published on April 22 in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.
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Mirko Zanon et al. 2026. Stimuli that fit: a biology-aligned approach to numerical cognition research. Proc Biol Sci 293 (2069): 20253057; doi: 10.1098/rspb.2025.3057
