According to new research the common bumblebee has the most amazing homing instinct.
It does not matter if they buzz off far from the hive - because they can always make a bee-line for their nest.


Researchers at Newcastle University dropped off the bumblebees at famous landmarks across the North East to see how they would cope.

But every time the succeeded in making their way back home - in one case from eight miles away.

The other distances varied from one to three miles.

But there is a sting in the tale - it was only the worker bees which made their way back.

It is believed the queen bees simply found shelter elsewhere.

The results are surprising because the bumblebee in question - Bombus terrestris - normally flies only three miles for its food.

The project aims to find out how far the bees can travel for sustenance and if certain environments are trickier to navigate than others.

This knowledge will ultimately help with conservation strategies that may involve adapting landscapes to create optimum habitats for bees - whose numbers have been declining..