Male bumblebees shown to be as smart as females

In the past, male bees were seen as lazy.
In the past, male bees were seen as lazy. | File photo

Researchers from Queen Mary University of London determined that male bumblebees are just as smart and capable as female bumblebees when studied searching for food. 

The behavioral experiment was published in the magazine Animal Behaviour by Stephan Wolf and Lars Chittka.

In the experiment, both sexes of bees learned to determine and remember which artificial flower was the most fruitful by its color. After some time, the flower nectar was changed and the scientists observed that both sexes of bees were able to adapt with new signals at about the same rate. 

In the past, male bees were seen as lazy because gender roles within bee colonies are strictly regulated with females doing most of the work while the primary role of males is to mate.