Flowers use caffeine to 'trick' bees into coming back to them

When you think of a brainy creature, a bumblebee probably isn’t the first thing that pops into your mind. But did you know that these small wonders are actually quite adept learners? Surprisingly, bees have incredible cognitive abilities.

Felicity Muth, an assistant professor in the Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior at UC Davis, has dedicated her research to understanding the cognitive capacities of these tiny powerhouses.

Bees performing cognitive tasks

Bumblebees, despite having brains smaller than a sesame seed, can outperform many vertebrates when it comes to cognitive tasks, as Professor Muth’s research has shown.

She initially explored the behavior of birds, but her curiosity led her to investigate the thought processes of bumblebees. Muth’s research looks into how bumblebees learn, choose flowers to visit, and what motivates them.

Bees, caffeine, and mind games

Professor Muth’s studies go beyond the bees and examine the fascinating dynamics that unfold between bumblebees and the plants they frequent.

It’s a known fact that plants reward bees with nectar rich in sugar to encourage them to visit more flowers of the same type, helping in pollination. But plants also use some cunning tricks to garner the attention of these buzzing visitors.

Many plants infuse their nectars with caffeine and other chemicals like octopamine and tyramin, which function as hormones and neurotransmitters in brains of bees.

Muth meticulously studies these interactions in the lab by filling artificial flowers with nectar concoctions. “The plants are actually manipulating the insects,” noted Professor Muth.

Bees consuming caffeine

The research sheds light on the intriguing effects these chemical-imbued nectars have on bees.

When bees consume nectar laced with caffeine, they behave as if it is sweeter than it actually is, thus making them more inclined to remember and revisit those flowers.

The caffeine also amps up their flower-visiting rate. However, when the nectar contains octopamine and tyramine, it nullifies the effect of caffeine.

Challenge of being a bumblebee

Professor Muth and her students spend much of the summer outdoors, particularly in California’s Sierra Nevada.

The team catches wild-foraging bumblebees in nets and test their learning and memory capacities. They employ colored tabs soaked in sugar water or plain water to examine the bees’ ability to associate specific colors with food.

In a 2021 study by Professor Muth and her former postdoc mentor, Anne Leonard of the University of Nevada, it was found that both female worker bees and male drones learned equally well, albeit the males were slower to make decisions.

The real revelation came from the queen bumblebees they tested, which turned out to be significantly faster learners than the other bees.

Learning abilities of queen bees

“Queens are much more elusive than workers. They are much less studied, and that’s what drew me to them,” said Professor Muth.

The fact that they have only a limited period to forage adds more pressure on them to be quick and efficient.

The need to forage, find mates, and choose nesting sites likely leads to cognitive specialization in queen bees. Research suggests that caffeine in nectar may further enhance these bees’ learning and memory, aiding them in these crucial tasks.

Neural mechanisms of learning

Going deeper into the intellectual wonders of bumblebees, Muth’s research progresses into the neural pathways that govern learning and memory in these insects.

Utilizing advanced imaging techniques, her team maps the neural circuitries involved in processing sensory inputs and forming associative memories.

Through controlled experiments, they seek to uncover the neural basis for the bees’ ability to learn from their environment, adapt to new situations, and make choices benefiting their survival.

Understanding these processes not only enriches our knowledge of caffeine’s effects on bee cognition but also provides insights into the complex neural architectures shared across animal species.

Implications for biodiversity

The explorations into bumblebee cognition have far-reaching implications for biodiversity and conservation efforts. Given their pivotal role in pollination, understanding the subtleties of their behavior and learning can aid in crafting effective conservation strategies.

Professor Muth advocates for preserving natural habitats and reducing pesticide use, strategies that are essential for fostering healthy bee populations.

By drawing correlations between cognitive science and environmental impact, her research serves as a foundation for interdisciplinary approaches to safeguarding the myriad of ecological roles bumblebees fulfill.

The interplay between research and conservation efforts highlights the urgency of protecting these “brainy” bees to maintain ecosystem balance and agricultural productivity.

Birds, bees, and caffeine

The ultimate goal of Muth’s research is to understand how the challenges faced by different animals shape their specific cognitive traits.

This understanding could illuminate how intelligence evolved in animals, even extending to birds, mammals, and humans. If we can comprehend this, Muth added, we could understand ourselves better.

As our journey into the microscopic world of bumblebees comes to a close, we are left with a rekindled fascination for these small creatures.

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