There were some errors in J. Exp. Biol. (2016) 219, 2426–2429 (doi:10.1242/jeb.143214).

In Materials and Methods, the maximum distance between flowers was incorrect. This should read: ‘The same configuration was used at a small spatial scale (distance between flowers: 1.48–4.19 m) and at a larger spatial scale (distance between flowers: 14.8–41.9 m).’. The coordinates of each flower provided in the supplementary information (and from which these distances can be calculated) were correct.

In Results and Discussion, the percentage of honey bees was incorrectly given as 61%. The sentence should have read: ‘This sequence was increasingly used over time (Fig. 2C), and the majority of honeybees (56%) selected an optimal sequence (Fig. 1).’.

Additionally, in Fig.1A, last panel, the arrows incorrectly indicate a route H-F2-F3-F1-F4-H. This should be H-F3-F2-F1-F4-H; the sequence is correct in the supplementary information. Fig. 1B, first panel, showed an incorrect number (and percentage) of honey bees. This should be N=1 (12.5%). The corrected figure appears below.

Fig. 1 (corrected).

Arrays of flowers and geometry of favourite sequences. Data are shown for (A) experiment 1, small array of flowers in the laboratory; (B) experiment 2, small array of flowers in the field, and (C) experiment 3, large array of flowers in the field. H is the hive, F0 the pre-training flower, F1–F4 the experimental flowers, and posters 1–4 the landmarks. Numbers in parentheses are Cartesian coordinates (m). Arrows indicate the direction in which the honeybee moved. N is the number of honeybees that have selected the sequence. A bee moving between nearest-neighbour flowers (F4–F1–F2–F3) would fly 11.6% longer than a bee using an optimal sequence (F1–F2–F3–F4 or F4–F3–F2–F1).

Fig. 1 (corrected).

Arrays of flowers and geometry of favourite sequences. Data are shown for (A) experiment 1, small array of flowers in the laboratory; (B) experiment 2, small array of flowers in the field, and (C) experiment 3, large array of flowers in the field. H is the hive, F0 the pre-training flower, F1–F4 the experimental flowers, and posters 1–4 the landmarks. Numbers in parentheses are Cartesian coordinates (m). Arrows indicate the direction in which the honeybee moved. N is the number of honeybees that have selected the sequence. A bee moving between nearest-neighbour flowers (F4–F1–F2–F3) would fly 11.6% longer than a bee using an optimal sequence (F1–F2–F3–F4 or F4–F3–F2–F1).

Fig. 1 (original).

Arrays of flowers and geometry of favourite sequences. Data are shown for (A) experiment 1, small array of flowers in the laboratory; (B) experiment 2, small array of flowers in the field, and (C) experiment 3, large array of flowers in the field. H is the hive, F0 the pre-training flower, F1–F4 the experimental flowers, and posters 1–4 the landmarks. Numbers in parentheses are Cartesian coordinates (m). Arrows indicate the direction in which the honeybee moved. N is the number of honeybees that have selected the sequence. A bee moving between nearest-neighbour flowers (F4–F1–F2–F3) would fly 11.6% longer than a bee using an optimal sequence (F1–F2–F3–F4 or F4–F3–F2–F1).

Fig. 1 (original).

Arrays of flowers and geometry of favourite sequences. Data are shown for (A) experiment 1, small array of flowers in the laboratory; (B) experiment 2, small array of flowers in the field, and (C) experiment 3, large array of flowers in the field. H is the hive, F0 the pre-training flower, F1–F4 the experimental flowers, and posters 1–4 the landmarks. Numbers in parentheses are Cartesian coordinates (m). Arrows indicate the direction in which the honeybee moved. N is the number of honeybees that have selected the sequence. A bee moving between nearest-neighbour flowers (F4–F1–F2–F3) would fly 11.6% longer than a bee using an optimal sequence (F1–F2–F3–F4 or F4–F3–F2–F1).

These mistakes do not affect the results and conclusion of the paper. Both the online full-text and PDF versions of the article have been updated and the authors apologise to the readers for any inconvenience caused.