Bee nourished: How pollen nutrition shapes bee foraging habits and what it means for restoration

Sue Miller; Anthony D. Vaudo; Bryce A. Richardson; Sarah C. Barga; Justin B. Runyon

Treesearch

Bee nourished: How pollen nutrition shapes bee foraging habits and what it means for restoration

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Sue Miller, Anthony D. Vaudo, Bryce A. Richardson, Sarah C. Barga, Justin B. Runyon

Year:

2025

Type:

Science Bulletins and Newsletters

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

Source:

Science You Can Use Bulletin, Issue 72. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 8 p.

Download (PDF 15.82 MB)

Download (PDF 15.82 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/69291.pdf

Abstract

Hardworking bees are a familiar sight outdoors as they forage for nectar and pollinate flowers. Along with nectar, both wild bees and honey bees collect pollen to bring back to brooding areas, where it feeds developing larvae. From the bee’s perspective, an important question arises: is all pollen nutritionally the same and, if not, how do bees get the nutrients they need?

Keywords

bees, pollen nutrition, forage, pollinator populations, habitat restoration

Citation

Miller, Sue; Vaudo, Anthony; Richardson, Bryce; Barga, Sarah; Runyon, Justin. 2025. Bee nourished: How pollen nutrition shapes bee foraging habits and what it means for restoration. Science You Can Use Bulletin, Issue 72. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 8 p.