IT’S NOT QUITE a face-lift or a sports car, but honeybees, like humans, find a way to deal with midlife crisis. Female worker bees spend the first half of their lives caring for larvae in the hive. Right around midlife, though—two to three weeks of age—they become foragers, seeking out pollen and nectar. These new roles require new skills, including navigating hundreds of miles over the rest of their lives.

According to new research by Cuban and Brazilian scientists, bees appear up to the task: The brains of young nurse bees have high levels of the proteins linked to understanding their complex social hierarchy. Once the honeybees become foragers, their brains undergo a dramatic change, increasing the proteins used for activities such as energy production and making them better suited to their new roles.—Hannah Schardt