Meeting Abstract

134-2  Tuesday, Jan. 7 13:45 – 14:00  The Effect of Nectar on the Honey Bee Pollen Pellet Removal Force MATHERNE, M*; HOWINGTON, O; LENAGHAN, O; HU, D.L; Georgia Tech Department of Mechanical Engineering; Georgia Tech Department of Mechanical Engineering; Georgia Tech Department of Mechanical Engineering; Georgia Tech Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Biology mmatherne3@gatech.edu http://www.hu.gatech.edu/Matherne/

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) carry pollen back to their hive by mixing it with nectar and forming it into a pellet, which they carry in the corbicula, or pollen basket, on their hind legs. It is unknown how this method works across the range of sizes and shapes of pollen grains. In this study, we have filmed bees removing pollen pellets in the hive and conducted experiments to measure the force to remove them. We show that the more dried out the pellet is, the more force is required to remove it. We explain this difference in removal force using fluid mechanics principles. We also investigate the relationship between the amount of nectar in a pellet and the size and shape of the pollen grains. By studying the mechanics of pollen pellet formation, we hope to give insight into how honey bees are such effective pollinators.