Energy Costs of Foraging by Honey Bees on Artificial Flower Patches of Variable and Constant Nectar Distributions

Abstract

Experimentation with the honey bee, Apis mellifera, was performed with two artificial flower patches, located at a certain distance from an apiary. Patches were tested adjacent to each other and with a separation distance between them. Responses of foraging bees on the patches were measured by censusing at one-minute intervals in order to determine preferences by the bees for three factors which differed between patches; Nectar Distribution ("constant" or "variable" amounts per flower), Flower Color (blue or yellow), and Distance from the apiary (near or far). The bees preferred the "constant" nectar distribution and the blue flower color. Although a distance preference was not found, the data suggest that a preference for the nearer patch may be exhibited at distances greater than those used in these experiments.