Pollen foraging preferences in honey bees and the nutrient profiles of the pollen

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 14(1)

Published: July 1, 2024

Honey bees are important insect pollinators that provide critical pollination services to fruit and nut crops in the US. They face challenges likely due pressures associated with agricultural intensification related habitat loss. To better understand this, pollen preferences of foraging nutritional profile brought into hives by crop fields orchards can valuable information. We trained forage on bee-collected from placed for almond orchards, sunflower fields, or mixed species inter-row plantings. Using a certain kind hive pollen, we applied binary scoring system, test these preconditioned foragers. also performed metabolomic analyses used training testing elucidate their content. Irrespective preconditioning, collected all available choice types, predominantly choosing hive-collected (MSP), followed orchard pollen. The MSP was chemically diverse, richest cholesterol, vitamins, phytochemicals quercetin, kaempferol, coumarin, quinine, but not consistently high essential amino acids polyunsaturated fatty acids. Although diversity chemical profiles may directly relate plant diversity, our results suggest foragers collect variety types when reiterating importance diverse floral resources.

Language: Английский

Learning to handle flowers increases pollen collection benefits for bees but does not affect pollination success for plants

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: May 12, 2024

ABSTRACT Behavior frequently affects cooperation as well conflict in plant-pollinator interactions. Pollinators such bees often modify how they handle flowers with experience and learning is generally assumed to increase collection of floral food rewards. The complexity flower morphology also quickly pollinators learn recall access rewards from a given type. Because can extraction (such pollen) involves the pollinator altering it interacts flower’s reproductive organs, could affect pollination success. Yet cognition interact success unknown. We therefore asked memory handling by pollen-foraging generalist bumble ( Bombus impatiens ) varied among four morphologically distinct types (Phacelia campanularia, Exacum affine , Solanum elaeagnifolium Erythranthe guttata affected pollen deposition on these flowers. found that learned remembered some more than others. Learning typically involved development motor routines unique each While invariably improve collection, type did not collection. Surprisingly, was bee foraging experience. Thus, even though benefits bee, does alter female (and potentially male) fitness for plant. discuss potential reasons patterns consequences behavior evolution.

Language: Английский