Flower Aroma Is a Honeybee's Chill Pill

Scientists in France and Australia have found that angry honeybees are less likely to attack when exposed to certain floral scents, such as lavender, associated with the promise of food. This occurs even when the bees are provoked into releasing odorous pheromones that recruit other bees into a stinging attack. The bees respond more strongly to the smells related to gathering food than to pheromones calling for war.