Mmastodon ScienceScience first seen 20 h ago, last 17 h ago, peak #1

Large bumblebee workers outperform smaller bees in and out of the nest

Original: # theBeeAt3 Basic bee facts every day at 3pm. 59. Large female worker # bumblebees are better at foraging so smaller fem

An Irish bee expert's daily fact series explains that large female worker bumblebees are better foragers than smaller nestmates, who focus on in-nest tasks like nursing and incubating. He adds a twist: the larger bees are also better at those inside jobs, suggesting size is an advantage across the board rather than a simple division of labour.

Why now: The counterintuitive point that bigger bees are better at all tasks challenges assumptions about how bumblebee colonies divide work.

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Evidence

• # theBeeAt3 Basic bee facts every day at 3pm. 59. Large female worker # bumblebees are better at foraging so smaller female workers tend to concentrate on in-nest jobs such as nursing and incubating. Are they better at these tasks? No - the larger # bees can be better here too!… · thebeeguy@mastodon.ie · 25

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