Efficiency in Pollen Foraging by Honey bees on flowers of Sisyrinchium palmifolium

by Daniel P. Silva, Joseph Moisan-De Serres, Darcet C. Souza, Suzane B. Hilgert-Moreira, Mariana. Z. Fernandes, Peter G. Kevan, Breno M. Freitas

An opened flower of Sysirichium palmifolium.

Honey bees depend on flower resources to supply individual and colony needs. Despite its well-known biology and ecology, none study assessed honey foraging patterns. We used the plant species Sysirinchium palmifolium L. (Iridaceae), a low growing and abundant anthophilous grassland flower to check whether Apis mellifera bees change their foraging patterns depending on the quality and quantity of pollen available during the day.

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Read the scientific publication in JPE .