The impact of supplemental feeding on honey bee foraging habits in carrot seed

Monday, November 11, 2024

9:36 AM – 9:48 AM MST

Location: Phoenix Convention Center, 132 A, PCC

Presenting Author(s)

Riley Morgan Reed (he/him/his)

Research Assistant
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington

Co-Author(s)

BH

Brandon Kingsley Hopkins, Ph.D., M.S.

Assistant Research Professor
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are the most widely used agricultural pollinator but are far from perfect. Foraging honey bees transferring pollen between fields is a substantial concern for producers of carrot (Daucus carota) seed and other insect pollinated seed crops. This study tested the impact of supplemental in-hive feeding and supplemental forage on the foraging behavior of honey bees in a carrot seed field. Activity monitors, pollen samples, and decoded waggle dances were used to track foraging activity, pollen composition, and foraging locations respectively.