Researchers find bees possess small magnetic compasses for navigation.

Research published in Science Advances reveals that a significant number of bee species, 74 out of 96 tested, possess magnetic properties. Some animals utilize iron-based compounds like magnetite for navigation via the Earth's magnetic field, a phenomenon known as magnetoreception. While it has been established that social honeybees exhibit this ability, it was previously thought to be linked to their colony lifestyle. This study aimed to compare magnetism in social versus solitary bee species and explore the evolutionary origins of magnetoreception in bees.