Seeley pointed out that each year a bee hive generally collects 200+ pounds of nectar, 50+ pounds of pollen, 1-2 pounds of propolis, and 50+...
Seeley pointed out that each year a bee hive generally collects 200+ pounds of nectar, 50+ pounds of pollen, 1-2 pounds of propolis, and 50+ pounds of water. He shared that bees generally search for water due to their own thirst, and that researchers activate water collection by shining a heat lamp on an observation hive.
Like nectar, older bees collect water and pass it to middle-aged bees receiving water. One receiver bee he observed spent 7 minutes walking around the hive giving water to other bees, inspecting comb cells, and smearing water in comb cells (the hive cools as the water evaporates).
Water collectors return to the exact same spot to retrieve water, “The very same pebble” says Sealey, which helps researchers track their activities. The bees stop collecting and receiving nectar as the time it takes to interest others in the water gets longer and longer.
Like nectar, older bees collect water and pass it to middle-aged bees receiving water. One receiver bee he observed spent 7 minutes walking around the hive giving water to other bees, inspecting comb cells, and smearing water in comb cells (the hive cools as the water evaporates).
Water collectors return to the exact same spot to retrieve water, “The very same pebble” says Sealey, which helps researchers track their activities. The bees stop collecting and receiving nectar as the time it takes to interest others in the water gets longer and longer.
