GARDEN ZONE
SUPER POLLINATORS
From the bee ’ s perspective , this partnership is driven by the need for nectar , protein rich pollen , and , to a lesser extent , propolis . Metabolically , bees process nectar and pollen into honey , wax , and food to feed larvae and the queen . Waterproof and airtight wax is used for various construction purposes like housing honey and larvae , and propolis serves as a household disinfectant . The only other significant resource bees don ’ t gather from plants is water .
Honeybees reply more on vision than smell . A significant portion of their vision operates in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum .
What appears as white or monochrome flowers to us often display patterns that are visible only under ultraviolet light . These patterns serve as landing markers for bees . Bee-pollinated plants often have nectar tubes specifically tailored to bees ’ mouthparts . Most white , yellow , or blue flowers fall into this category . What makes honeybees indispensable ?
From the plant ’ s perspective , bees are thorough and efficient .
From the plant ’ s perspective , bees are thorough and efficient . Thanks to their effective communication - the complex dances through which scouts communicate information
82 MARKtoe ! September 2023