Bigger bumblebees make better foragers
The study sheds light on the roles different bees play within a hive
28 December 2020 • 5:17pm
The team was surprised to find that size variation had a significant impact on their behaviour.
Credit: Natalie Hempel de Ibarra
Bigger bumblebees are better at foraging, scientists have discovered, because they spend more time memorising the best flowers.
Researchers at the University of Exeter examined the behaviour of bumblebees placed on artificial flowers with different levels of sucrose in the university s greenhouses.
After leaving flowers, bees took learning flights , which involve turning and facing the flower in order to memorise its appearance and surroundings.