Pollen, the fine powdery substance produced by flowering plants, serves a fundamental purpose in plant reproduction. Bees, in their diligent foraging, collect this substance, which is composed of male reproductive cells. While nectar provides bees with carbohydrates for energy, pollen offers a different array of essential nutrients. Pollen is an essential resource for the survival and thriving of an entire bee colony, fulfilling roles that nectar cannot.
Fueling the Adult Bee
Adult bees rely on pollen as a primary source of protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. These components are essential for their internal biological functions and overall health. For instance, the proteins and amino acids obtained from pollen are important for muscle development, particularly for flight muscles, which support their foraging activities.
Pollen also plays a role in the proper functioning of specialized glands in adult worker bees, such as the hypopharyngeal glands. These glands require a rich protein diet from pollen to develop fully and remain active. When bees receive insufficient pollen, these glands can become underdeveloped, impacting their ability to perform necessary colony tasks.
Nourishing the Next Generation
Pollen is essential for the growth and development of bee larvae and for sustaining the queen’s egg-laying capacity. Nurse bees consume substantial amounts of pollen. This allows them to produce royal jelly from their hypopharyngeal glands.
Royal jelly is fed to all young larvae initially, and continuously to the queen throughout her life. The nutrients from pollen, transformed into royal jelly, support rapid larval growth and metamorphosis. Sufficient, diverse pollen supports healthy larval development and a robust queen, enabling high egg production for colony expansion.
Storing and Preparing Pollen
Bees store and preserve pollen for long-term use, transforming it into “bee bread.” After foraging, bees pack pollen into corbiculae (pollen baskets) on their hind legs, moistening it with nectar or saliva for transport. Upon returning to the hive, they deposit pollen pellets into honeycomb cells.
House bees then pack this pollen tightly into the cells, mixing it with nectar, honey, and digestive enzymes from their saliva. This mixture undergoes a lactic acid fermentation process. The fermentation lowers the pH, inhibiting harmful microorganisms. This transformation enhances digestibility and nutrient availability by breaking down the tough outer shell of pollen grains and converting complex compounds into more easily absorbed forms. The fermented bee bread then serves as a vital food reserve, ensuring access to essential nutrients even when fresh pollen is scarce.