This YouTube video shows bumble bees playing with toys

And yes, it’s just as cute as you would expect.

Image by moonflash/Depositphotos.com

In the best feel-good news of the week, a study published in the scientific journal, Animal Behaviour, titled, "Do bumble bees play?" suggests that the little furry critters, (just like your pet dog,) do indeed enjoy playing with toys.

Bumble bees rolled balls around

Researchers found bumble bees seem to enjoy playing, just like other animals. It could mean the insects can experience positive feelings.

The scientists, led by Queen Mary University of London, recorded the bees rolling small wooden balls around and shared it on YouTube.

In a news release, the study's first author, Samadi Galpayage, a Ph.D. student at Queen Mary University of London said:

“It is certainly mind-blowing, at times amusing, to watch bumble bees show something like play. They approach and manipulate these ‘toys’ again and again. It goes to show, once more, that despite their little size and tiny brains, they are more than small robotic beings. They may actually experience some kind of positive emotional states, even if rudimentary, like other larger fluffy, or not so fluffy, animals do. This sort of finding has implications to our understanding of sentience and welfare of insects and will, hopefully, encourage us to respect and protect life on Earth ever more.”

But were they really playing?

How do researchers know the bees were playing and not just looking for food or exhibiting some other type of behavior?

The scientists tested their hypothesis in many different ways, and stated that the research shows the "bees went out of their way to roll wooden balls repeatedly despite there being no apparent incentive for doing so." And that, "the repeated behaviour suggested that ball-rolling was rewarding."

What else did scientists find?

Similar to humans and mammals, younger bees are more playful than older ones. And the males, with fewer responsibilities than females who bring food back to the group, played more often than the females.

You can watch the adorable creatures in action here.

Insects have complex behaviors

We've also found that bees communicate through dance and can learn to count.

The implications could mean we should be a lot more cognizant of the creatures we're sharing this planet with, even tiny insects.

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I'm a Chicago-based content writer covering local happenings in my area. You can follow me here on NewsBreak by using the "follow" button, located before and after this article on your phone or the left side menu on your computer.

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