Study
Still no convincing evidence for cognitive map use by honeybees
Cheung, Allen; Collett, Matthew; Collett, Thomas S.; Dewar, Alex; Dyer, Fred
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2014
A reanalysis and simulation study asking whether the flight paths reported as evidence for a cognitive map could be produced by simpler mechanisms, particularly memory for panoramic views combined with path integration.
- Studied in
- Apis mellifera
Simpler view-based models reproduced the observed homing behaviour without requiring a map-like representation.
What it means
The authors' reading, and ours. Where they differ, that difference is the point.
How the authors put it
The evidence for cognitive maps in bees is not compelling; parsimony favours view-based navigation.
How NatureHQ reads it
Included because a knowledge base that only records the exciting side of an argument is not a knowledge base. This is a modelling critique rather than new observation, which limits what it can settle, but it shifted the burden of proof and the question remains open.
- A model that can reproduce a behaviour does not establish that the animal uses it.
- Reanalysis rather than new experimental data.
What this study is used for on NatureHQ
One study can inform several subjects. Here is everywhere this one is cited.
Published by: Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesPublished in PNAS.
doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1413581111
This reference was resolved automatically against Crossref and OpenAlex on 2026-08-11.
NatureHQ summarises research in its own words and does not reproduce published text. Reviewed 2026-08-09.