Bees Need Pollen From a Variety of Plants to Stay Healthy, Study Finds [Video]

Scientists have studied the nutritional profiles of 57 varieties of pollen and discovered that, in order to have a balanced diet of essential amino and fatty acids, bees must forage from a wide array of plants.

Urban expansion, farming and climate change have altered the habitats of these crucial pollinators.

“Despite public interest and a rise in pollinator plantings, little is known about which plant species are best suited for bee health,” said Dr. Sandra Rehan, senior author of the study and a biology professor at York University in Toronto, in a press release from Frontiers. “This study aimed to better understand the nutritional value of plant species. Based on their ideal protein to lipid ratios for wild bee nutrition, we recommend that pollen species from roses, clovers, red raspberry, and tall buttercup should be emphasized in wildflower restoration projects.”

The study, “Dietary foundations for pollinators: nutritional profiling of plants for bee health,” was published in the …