Italian Honeybees: Masters of Pollen Theft from Bumblebees

Italian Honeybees: Masters of Pollen Theft from Bumblebees




Honeybees ​rely on plant pollen as a ⁣protein-packed food source. Some honeybees​ are known to ​steal pollen from bumblebees. In 2019, naturalists Tiziano‍ Londei‌ and Giuliana Marzi recorded a video of honeybees robbing ‍red-tailed bumblebees of their‍ pollen while foraging on a woolly‌ thistle in Italy. The⁣ honeybees targeted ⁣male bumblebees more than females, and the bumblebees did not react aggressively to the theft. Biologist ‌Avery Russell from Missouri State‍ University commented that‌ honeybees are notorious for their pollen-stealing behavior⁣ and that ⁣stealing pollen ‌from bumblebees is not‍ surprising.

2024-01-23 11:32:57⁣
Post ‌from www.sciencenews.org

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