How do bees communicate preparing to swarm, queenlessness, and disease?

Bees primarily communicate critical information, such as preparing to swarm, indicating queenlessness, and signaling the presence of disease, through sound. This is achieved mainly via the use of specific vibrations and sounds produced by their bodies. For instance, during the swarming process, worker bees may produce a unique buzzing sound indicating their readiness to swarm and can signal urgency to other bees. In situations where a colony is experiencing queenlessness, they may generate particular sounds to denote stress and gather the colony’s response. Similarly, when it comes to detecting disease, certain vibrations can help convey alarm and encourage bees to take action to protect the hive. While other senses, such as smell or touch, play roles in bee communication, sound remains the pivotal form for these specific situations.