Specialized Metabolites in Floral Resources: Effects and Detection in Buff-Tailed Bumblebees

The selection of appropriate food resources by bees is a critical aspect for the maintenance their populations, especially in current context global change and pollinator decline. Wild have sophisticated ability to forage selectively on specific resources, can assess quality pollen using contact chemosensory perception (taste). While numerous studies investigated detection macronutrients impact bee health reproductive success, only few described gustatory responses toward specialized metabolites. In addition, these mostly focused response nectar neglected pollen, which main resource both imagines larvae. Whether detect toxic metabolites then rapidly adapt foraging behavior avoid them very little studied. this study, we tested whether affect bumblebees at micro-colony individual levels (i.e., bioassays supplemented pollen), foragers potentially display an avoidance preference tests syrup). Bumblebees were fed with either amygdalin-, scopolamine- or sinigrin-supplemented diets ratios that mimic 50%, 100%, 200% naturally occurring concentrations. We found no effect collection, success stress level. At level, 50%-amygdalin 50%-scopolamine displayed highest scores damage digestive systems. Interestingly, during tests, solution phagostimulatory activity, whereas had deterrent could trigger active bumblebees, faster proboscis retraction. Our results suggest regulation toxin intake not as well-established effective nutrient bees. Bees are therefore equally adapted all they come into with.