Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) forage on various pollen and nectar sources throughout the seasons. Using isotopic analysis, we documented changes in carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios during their foraging seasons. From March to October 2023, 200 bees were removed monthly from one hive at an apiary near Frankfort, KY. Ten midguts were combined, dried, and placed into each of twenty vials. The samples were analyzed at the University of Kentucky Stable Isotope Laboratory for δ13C and δ15N. A significantly higher δ15N was reported in bees collected in March than in the other months. May and September resulted in the lowest δ15N. Honey bees collected in July had the highest δ13C, while June and September had the lowest. We hypothesize that these differences are due to changes in pollen and nectar availability in the summer. The significance of this data is discussed.
.png)
