Faculty Sponsor
Aimee Dunlap
Final Abstract for URS Program
Current studies of Bumblebees (Bombus impatiens) have shown that they prefer plants that have a higher concentration of sugar over those that are of a lower concentration. However, there is little research analyzing the impact of the size difference amongst bumblebee foragers. During our experiment, we tested if larger bumblebees demonstrate a propensity to pursue nectar rewards more frequently compared to smaller bees. We hypothesized that the smaller bumblebees would forage less than the larger ones under a fixed ratio and three different sugar concentrations. We found that our hypothesis was partly correct: smaller bees initially earned fewer rewards, but they began to consume the same amount as large bees as sugar concentration increased. This discovery will be a crucial starting point for further research into factors contributing to small & large bees performing the same amount of foraging activities.
Presentation Type
Visual Presentation
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
April 2023