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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Patrick Barkham

Honeybees make specialised ‘baby food’ to give larvae balanced diet, study says

Two bees on dandelions
Researchers say landowners in pollinator-friendly schemes should consider the diversity of pollen sources and their nutritional quality. Photograph: Petrica Rizea/Alamy

Honeybees blend a special “baby food” to give their larvae a balanced diet, with adult bees also able to regulate their feeding to avoid overconsuming certain nutrients, according to a study.

Researchers have discovered that bees can adjust how much they eat when pollen sources do not provide them with the ideal balance of essential amino acids, the essential building blocks of protein that animals cannot make for themselves and must obtain from their diet.

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