Bumblebees like ball games
Playfulness is not restricted to mammals and birds
Animals like to play. Well, some do. Lots of mammals and birds, particularly when young, engage in behaviour that, to use a common check-list: provides no obvious adaptive outcome such as access to food, shelter or a mate; is voluntary, spontaneous and rewarding in and of itself; is repeated, but not stereotypically; and appears to be pleasant and conducted when the animal is relaxed.
This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Bumblebees have a ball”
From the October 29th 2022 edition
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