Bees Craft Nutrient-rich 'Baby Food' for Healthy Larvae Development

WHO:

The Guardian - Geraldine Wright, professor of entomology at the University of Oxford, is the lead author of the study.

The Guardian - Researchers from the University of Southampton, Newcastle University, Lancaster University, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem contributed to the study.

WHAT:

The Guardian - Honeybees create a specialized "baby food" to provide their larvae with a balanced diet.

Phys.org - Honeybees can regulate their feeding to avoid overconsuming certain essential nutrients.

The Guardian - The study found that most pollen sources tested were a poor match for the essential amino acid profile of bee tissues.

The Guardian - Bees that consumed diets closely matching their tissue composition ate more, gained more body mass, and consumed a more protein-rich balance of food.

WHERE:

The Guardian - The study involved pollen from 99 species of British flowering plants.

WHEN:

The Guardian - The study was published in Current Biology.

WHY:

The Guardian - The findings suggest that wild bee species require a diversity of pollen sources to flourish.

The Guardian - The research hypothesized that the response of bees to different diets was linked to histidine, an essential amino acid needed in small amounts.

HOW:

The Guardian - Researchers compared the essential amino acid profiles of honeybee tissues with that of pollen and created artificial diets for laboratory experiments.

The Guardian - Honeybees collect pollen from various flowers and store it as "bee bread," which is then converted into glandular secretions, including royal jelly, for larvae.

(UPDATED June 18, 2026 01:49 UTC)

A new study led by Geraldine Wright, a professor of entomology at the University of Oxford, reveals that honeybees create a specialized "baby food" to ensure their larvae receive a balanced diet. Researchers from several institutions, including the University of Southampton and Newcastle University, found that most pollen sources from 99 species of British flowering plants did not match the essential amino acid profiles needed by bees, highlighting the importance of dietary diversity for wild bee species. The study, published in Current Biology, indicates that bees that consumed diets closely aligned with their tissue composition not only ate more but also gained more body mass and benefited from a protein-rich balance of food.