Pronunciation: [wˈaɡə͡l dˈans] (IPA) 
The spelling of "waggle dance" has its roots in the German word "wackeltanz." The word is spelled using the English alphabet, but its phonetic transcription in IPA is /ˈwæɡəl dæns/. The "w" and "g" sounds are pronounced as in their respective letters, while the "a" sound is pronounced as in "cat." The double "g" in "waggle" signifies a hard "g" sound, and the silent "e" at the end denotes a long vowel sound for the letter "a."
A waggle dance is a unique communication behavior performed by honeybees, particularly foragers, to convey important information about the location and quality of food sources to their hive mates. This intricate dance is considered a crucial element of their sophisticated communication system, known as the honeybee dance language.
In the waggle dance, a forager bee returns to the hive after discovering a valuable food source and starts by performing a series of side-to-side waggling movements while walking on a vertical comb surface. The direction and speed of the waggling motion represent the angle and distance of the food source relative to the position of the sun. Thus, the orientation of the waggle dance provides precise information about the direction in which hive mates should fly to reach the food.
In addition to the waggling component, the forager bee also produces specific sounds and releases pheromones to enhance the communication. The significance of these additional cues is to further indicate the quality and proximity of the food source, assisting the hive in making informed decisions on which resources to exploit.
The waggle dance is a remarkable example of how honeybees, through their complex and efficient communication system, share valuable information to coordinate their collective foraging efforts. It enables the entire hive to efficiently exploit resources in their surroundings and demonstrates the remarkable capabilities of these incredibly social and organized insects.
The term "waggle dance" originated from the behavior of honeybees in relaying information about the location of food sources to other members of their colony. The word "waggle" refers to the specific movement made by the dancing bee during this communication process.
The etymology of the word "waggle" can be traced back to Middle English, where the verb "waggen" meant "to move back and forth". This is related to the Old Norse word "vagga", meaning "cradle" or "rocking motion", and the Old English word "wægn", meaning "wagon" or "vehicle". The term "waggle" entered the English language in the early 16th century and has since been used to describe the side-to-side movement or shaking motion of various objects, animals, or body parts.
