Raising the sugar content--orchid bees overcome the constraints of suction feeding through manipulation of nectar and pollen provisions.
Unlike most other bees, the long-tongued orchid bees ingest nectar using suction feeding. Although long tongues allow exploitation of flowers with deep spurs, the energy intake rate is optimal at 10-20% lower nectar sugar concentrations compared to that of lapping bees. This constraint might be comp...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2014-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4244122?pdf=render |