The behaviour of worker honeybees after being fed alcohol-spiked food may lead to a greater understanding of how alcohol addiction in humans works, a new research claims.

The research published in the scientific journal Biology Letters, showed that worker honeybees that were fed the alcohol-laced food, a sucrose solution with about 1% ethanol, exhibited experienced withdrawal symptoms when they were stopped giving the solution.

The sucrose solution was given for a long period of time.

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According to a report in ABC, researchers from the Polish Academy of Sciences inferred that the bees exhibited a ‘marked’ increase in consumption of ethanol when they stopped giving the solution. A rise in mortality was also noticed.

Following this, the bees would advertently consume sugar solutions that have alcohol concentrations as high as 20% and display behaviors that were likened to an alcohol-intoxicated person. However, their behaviour depended on the intake of ethanol.

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The report stated that the study showed the worker bees could develop a dependence on alcohol. This was interesting, according to the study, as the nectar is often alcohol-contaminated.  

According to the study, among the honeybee workers, foragers showed resistance to the downward effects of alcohol consumption.

“To understand alcohol abuse, the utilization of animal models is essential,” the researchers said.

Honeybees not only willingly consume alcohol but are predisposed to alcoholism, according to recent research.