When 'High' On Nectar, Bumblebees Can Bumble

Bumblebees are known to be able aviators. A new study reveals just how good they can be under different load and wind conditions.

Researchers at RMIT University in Australia set out to determine flying patterns of bumblebee species Bombus impatiens by simulating nectar and pollen load on a few test bees in a wind tunnel. The wind conditions were varied and the bees' flying was also tracked in the presence of a moving robotic flower, to determine just how maneuverable and accurate the bees can be inflight.

According to UPI, the test bees flew like a jumbo jet, stable and less maneuverable, when carrying pollen while their flying was similar to a fighter jet, highly maneuverable but less stable, when carrying nectar. The difference can be explained by understanding how nectar and pollen are carried.

Bees carry pollen on their legs which affects maneuverability and enhances stability. Nectar on the other hand is carried in a pouch near the center of the abdomen, which aids maneuverability and lowers affects stability.

"We found that when bees carry a pollen load rather than a nectar load, they are more stable but less maneuverable in flight, supporting the concept of a tradeoff between stability and maneuverability-a notion that is frequently suggested but has rarely been tested, particularly in flying insects," researchers wrote in the Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences.