AI Insight
New research published in Functional Ecology reveals that honeybees experience significant difficulty collecting nectar during August, based on direct measurements of their foraging activity. The study provides empirical evidence of a late-summer nectar shortage that coincides with a period when flowering plants are less abundant. The researchers suggest that allowing weeds and wild plants to grow during this period could provide crucial nectar sources for bees during this challenging time.
Why it matters
This finding has practical implications for beekeepers, gardeners, and land managers who could help support honeybee populations by maintaining late-blooming plants during August. The research could inform conservation strategies and agricultural practices to address seasonal gaps in nectar availability, potentially improving honeybee health and survival during critical periods.
Understand the Science
Letting late-summer weeds grow could help honeybees when they find it most challenging to gather nectar, according to new research published in the journal, Functional Ecology.
Source: Honeybees struggle to gather nectar in August, direct measurements reveal