Ever wondered what bees get up to during their daily flights? Scientists have now cracked the code—literally! Using teeny-tiny QR codes glued onto their backs, researchers have been able to track the movements of bees like never before.

Most bees zip in and out of their hives in just a few minutes, but a few adventurous ones can spend up to two hours outside foraging or exploring. Some even decide to leave the colony for good! This discovery sheds light on how bees spend their days and where they go to find food.

Interestingly, the data also revealed that bees might live longer than we thought. While it’s commonly believed they live for about 28 days, the study found some bees foraging for six weeks—starting their food runs at around two weeks old.

To make this happen, a team of entomologists and engineers used AprilTags, a type of QR code smaller than your pinky nail, and carefully glued them onto the bees. It wasn’t easy—too little glue, and the tags fall off; too much, and the bees get stuck. Once the tags were in place, an automated system monitored the bees’ comings and goings 24/7, tracking over 32,000 insects.

This low-cost, high-tech method could revolutionize how scientists study bees. By understanding how far bees travel and where they find food, researchers hope to improve organic beekeeping standards in the U.S. Current rules require colonies to be placed in pesticide-free zones within a 5-kilometer radius, but this data could help refine those guidelines.

So, next time you see a bee buzzing by, remember—it might just be carrying a tiny QR code on its back, helping scientists unlock the secrets of its busy life!