We already knew honey bees were no dummies.

Anyone who has seen honeycomb knows their geometric prowess, and a recently published study suggests bees are clever enough to understand the mathematical concepts of addition and subtraction. Researchers trained honey bees to visit a maze and receive a sugary award after successfully solving a +1 or -1 problem. The results expand our understanding of the relationship between brain size and brain power.

So, in addition to pollinating a third of the world’s food supply (including our delicious almonds) and making tasty honey while they’re at it, bees are quite smart. Just one more reason to protect them as best we can.