Did you know bee hives have their own bouncers?

Under hot and humid conditions, flower nectar can ferment, producing small amounts of alcohol. Bees collecting this fermented nectar may become temporarily intoxicated, showing signs of erratic flying, poor landings, and difficulty orienting back to the hive. What’s even more striking is that honeybee colonies have “bouncers”: bees stationed at the hive entrance may prevent hive mates showing abnormal “drunk-like” behaviour from entering the hive. As such honeybees maintain order and protect the colony through sophisticated social interactions [1;2].

Bees aren't unique in this regard. From birds feeding on fermented berries to moose eating overripe fruit, many animals occasionally consume naturally occurring alcohol [3]. Nature's “happy hour” appears to be more widespread among species than one might think.

These fascinating behaviours remind us how wildlife interacts within highly complex ecosystems shaped by climate and environment. Scientific understanding of these ecological interactions is key to help support evidence-based policymaking for more resilient food systems.

[1] Bees drinking nectar on their pub crawl | BBC YouTube 
[2] Why drunk bees aren’t allowed back in the hive until they sober up | A-Z Animals 
[3] Do moose (and other animals) eat fermented fruit to get drunk? | Big Think