Bees And Abstract Concepts

Empirical work related to abstract concepts in honey bee and bumble bee discrimination performance is reviewed. Experiments showing behavioral transfer of numerosity discrimination, relational learning, and same/different discrimination are described. In each case, the attribution of such results to abstract conceptual representations is consistent with the data, but alternative explanations also exist. The complex, sophisticated discrimination abilities of bees challenge some of the explanations applied to corresponding abilities in humans and other non-human animals.