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Bees' Buzz Pollination Burns Energy Like Flight
20 May
Summary
- Buzz pollination costs bees as much energy as flight take-off.
- Floral vibrations significantly drain bee energy reserves.
- Bees must strategically select flowers due to high buzzing costs.
Bees expend as much energy performing floral buzzing for pollen as they do taking flight, according to recent research. This vibration technique, known as buzz pollination, is one of the most energetically demanding behaviors for bumblebees.
Scientists found that this process requires substantial energy, compelling bees to strategically select flowers to conserve their resources. The study challenges the common assumption that flight alone dominates a bee's energy expenditure.
Declining nectar availability, due to climate change and habitat loss, could exacerbate the strain on pollinators. This makes the energetic demands of pollination increasingly influential on bee behavior and plant pollination success.
Researchers used lasers and respirometry to monitor bumblebee colonies. They discovered that a single buzzing event alone could cost as much energy as a flight take-off, with the total drain potentially greater due to the duration of buzzing.
The energy cost does not end with pollen collection. Bees then engage in a grooming and pollen-packing phase, which further depletes their energy reserves before a demanding flight with their collected load.
