At Which Framerate Should The Honeybees' Waggle Dance Be Recorded ?

Today, we know how to decode the honeybee dance, but some uncertainties remain, particularly regarding the appropriate capture frequency. The average oscillation frequency of dancing honeybees is close to 13 Hz with a maximum slightly higher than 18 Hz. Several studies using cameras recorded the honeybee waggle dance at conventional framerates of 25 or 30 fps. However, according to Shannon's theorem, the capture frequency should be at least 36 Hz. Our study focused on the analysis and processing of a theoretical signal oscillating at 15 Hz. Our objective is to demonstrate the importance of framerate in optimizing the capture of honeybee dance behavior. We propose several diagrams to illustrate the impact of different framerates, as well as the impact of a phase shift between the oscillation of the dance and the video frames and provide an example of a compatible hardware choice. We also demonstrate the negative impact of low framerates using an automatic honeybee dance analysis script. We can conclude that a framerate of 60 fps is the most appropriate considering current needs and equipment technology.