Nectar concentrating behavior by bees (Hymenoptera: Anthophila)

Portman, Zachary M.; Ascher, John S.; Cariveau, Daniel P.

doi:10.1007/s13592-021-00895-1

Cited by 7 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 109 publications

(106 reference statements)

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“…This may begin during foraging in honeybees, which arrive back at the hive with crop sugar concentrations that are double those in nectar [ 51 ]; useful in view of the considerable cost of processing nectar into honey [ 128 ]. Both social and solitary bees concentrate nectar on their tongues [ 129 ]. For nectar-feeding birds, processing excess water is a physiological challenge.…”

Section: Watermentioning

confidence: 99%

Sweet solutions: nectar chemistry and quality

Nicolson

2022

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Nectar, the main floral reward for pollinators, varies greatly in composition and concentration. The assumption that nectar quality is equivalent to its sugar (energy) concentration is too simple. Diverse non-sugar components, especially amino acids and secondary metabolites, play various roles in nutrition and health of pollinators. Many nectar compounds have indirect effects by altering the foraging behaviour of pollinators or protecting them from disease. This review also emphasizes the water component of nectar, often ignored because of evaporative losses and difficulties in sampling small nectar volumes. Nectar properties vary with environmental factors, pollinator visits and microbial contamination. Pollination mutualisms depend on the ability of insect and vertebrate pollinators to cope with and benefit from the variation and diversity in nectar chemistry. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Natural processes influencing pollinator health: from chemistry to landscapes’.

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Section: Watermentioning

confidence: 99%

Sweet solutions: nectar chemistry and quality

Nicolson

2022

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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“…In general, a film or droplet of regurgitated crop contents is manipulated on the mouthparts, giving the maximum surface area for evaporation: this is easier to see in stationary bees, such as Allodapula or Euglossa 24 , 25 . Video recordings have also shown nectar concentrating behaviour during flight in one species ( Osmia lignaria ) and during pollen collection 23 . We have not been able to observe the process directly in bees foraging on either aloes or macadamias.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Other solitary and social bees are known to eliminate water from relatively dilute nectar. Portman et al 23 provide evidence that nectar concentrating behaviour is widespread in bees (51 genera in six families), and discuss various potential reasons for this behaviour. These include: preparation of nectar for long-term storage, improving the consistency of larval provisions, improved flight efficiency, more effective binding of pollen grains for transport, and evaporative cooling.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Honey bees save energy in honey processing by dehydrating nectar before returning to the nest

Nicolson

Human²,

Pirk³

2022

Sci Rep

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Honey bees process nectar into honey by active evaporation on the tongue and passive evaporation involving nest ventilation and fanning behaviour, as well as enzymatic action. The elimination of excess water from nectar carries considerable energetic costs. The concentration of the nectar load is assumed to remain constant during transport. However, some of this water elimination may occur before foragers return to the nest and pass their nectar loads to receiver bees. In honey bees captured while foraging in Macadamia orchards, we show that the nectar in their crops has approximately twice the sugar concentration of the fresh nectar in flowers. This was true for four Macadamia cultivars, with up to 75% of the initial water content being removed. There is a further concentration increase in the crops of returning bees captured at the hive entrance. The only possible route of water elimination from the crop is via evaporation from the mouthparts. We calculate the savings in honey processing costs to be on average 35 times more than the reduction in flight costs due to reduced body mass. Pre-concentration of nectar in foraging honey bees may be widespread, and of crucial importance for honey storage.

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“…We often encounter in the business world, many individuals who snatch customers from their business partners and end up with hostility. Of course, that is not the nature of people who believe in Allah (Laverty, 1994;Pamminger et al, 2019;Portman et al, 2021). Bees teach humans to take care of the flowers they infest.…”

Section: The Content Of Surah An-nahl 68-69mentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical Compounds of Bees in Qur’An

Zulkarnain¹,

Suprapto²

2022

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Qur’an surah An-Nahl verses 68 and 69 provide information about the nature of bees and their benefits for human life. Allah inspires bees to build nests and find food in trees, mountains, and places made by humans. This study aims to examine scientific information on bees in Surah An-Nahl verses 68 and 69. The research method is library research. The results showed that bees in Surah An-Nahl verses 68 and 69 produce honey, have a good life, have great teamwork, and give benefits to human life. Bee gives people good role models for human society, teamwork, and lifestyle. In science, bees produce pheromone chemical compounds that play a role in communication between bees in the colony. The pheromones produced by the queen bee can regulate the male bees and worker bees to be loyal to the queen bee and carry out their duties well. Qur’an Surah An-Nahl verses 68 and 69 give us information about the bee and honey. Allah gives a message to people to live like a bee to have a good social, good lifestyle, don’t destroy the environment, and give benefits to people like honey. Rasullullah advised us to consume honey for treatment. Honey functions as an antioxidant, anticancer, and energy source, healthy heart, control sugar level, and maintain a healthy body. Bee food is nectar, good nectar will produce high-quality honey. Chemical compounds that are often found in honey like glucose, flavonoid, alkaloid, saponin, and glycoside.

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Nectar concentrating behavior by bees (Hymenoptera: Anthophila)

Cited by 7 publications

References 109 publications

Sweet solutions: nectar chemistry and quality

Sweet solutions: nectar chemistry and quality

Honey bees save energy in honey processing by dehydrating nectar before returning to the nest

Chemical Compounds of Bees in Qur’An

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