Float like a butterfly, $${\varvec{decide}}$$ d e c i d e like a bee

Abstract

The decision-making behavior of individuals is limited by a lack of information and a limited capacity to process information. When seeking locations to construct a hive, the honeybee Apis mellifera collectively succeeds at overcoming these individual limitations and, thus, arrives at (nearly) optimal decisions. This article examines the behaviors and coordination mechanisms that have reinforced this trait in the course of evolution. We consider what lessons might be learned concerning human behavior and how better decisions can be made.