Science updates: Foraging rewards in sunflowers & honey bees

 

Science updates:

Foraging rewards in sunflowers & honey bees

 

The study aimed to determine if honey bee foraging preferences are influenced by the accessibility of nectar, as indicated by floret size, and to assess the nutritional variation in sunflower pollen, particularly in terms of total and essential fatty acids.

 

During the first year, honey bee foraging preference was inversely related to floret length, similar to observations with wild pollinators. However, in the second year, this relationship was not significant, possibly due to lower nectar rewards and a shift in floret size distributions. The study found that honey bee visitation rates were lower in the second year and that bees preferred moderate nectar concentrations.

 

The analysis of pollen samples revealed significant differences in total and essential fatty acid concentrations among sunflower lines in the second year, suggesting greater variation in pollen quality than previously known.

 

The study concludes that honey bee responses to sunflower floral traits are generally predictable and consistent with those of other small- to medium-sized bees. The findings imply that breeding programs for sunflowers should consider traits that enhance pollinator visitation, especially when pollination services are limited. The research also highlights the need for further studies on how environmental factors and genetic variation influence floral rewards and pollinator interactions in sunflowers.

 

 

Reference:

Ferguson, B., Prasifka, J. R., Carroll, M. J., Corby-Harris, V., & DeGrandi-Hoffman, G. (2024). Honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) foraging rewards in sunflowers: effect of floral traits on visitation and variation in pollen quality over two consecutive years. Journal of Apicultural Research, 1-9.

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