Orientation Flights

Late in the afternoon, young bees sometimes rush out of the hive together to take their very first flight into the outside world.  Called "orientation flights", these flights involve the bees flying out and up over the hive in figure-eights, in order to imprint upon their little bee brains where their home is in relation to the world and all its landmarks.  It's a lovely thing to sit and observe, just as I did yesterday as the temperature began to cool off after a scorcher of a day.