Buzzing bees can't resist caffeinated nectar

For many people, the best start to the day is a nice, fresh cup of joe. Now, researchers reporting in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on October 15 find that honey bees find caffeinated beverages—er, nectar—irresistible ...

Parasitized bees are self-medicating in the wild, study finds

Bumblebees infected with a common intestinal parasite are drawn to flowers whose nectar and pollen have a medicinal effect, a Dartmouth-led study shows. The findings suggest that plant chemistry could help combat the decline ...

Nectar: A sweet reward from plants to attract pollinators

Evolution is based on diversity, and sexual reproduction is key to creating a diverse population that secures competitiveness in nature. Plants had to solve a problem: they needed to find ways to spread their genetic material. ...

How do bees make honey? It's not just bee barf

(Phys.org) —Last weekend, my daughter asked me how bees made honey, and I realized that I didn't know the answer. How do bees make honey? I did some homework, and can now explain it to her – and to you.

Ants and carnivorous plants conspire for mutualistic feeding

An insect-eating pitcher plant teams up with ants to prevent mosquito larvae from stealing its nutrients, according to research published May 22 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Mathias Scharmann and colleagues from ...

Predicting when plants face extinction threat

(Phys.org) -- Drawn to dense stands of wildflowers in search of food, bees and other pollinators carry pollen between plants and provide a vital service for the survival of many plant species.

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