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Science Quickly

Nectar Helps Bees’ Medicine Go Down

Science Quickly

Scientific American

Science

4.2639 Ratings

🗓️ 20 February 2015

⏱️ 2 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In addition to fuel, nectar from various plant species contains chemical compounds that reduce the numbers of a common gut parasite in bumblebees. Christopher Intagliata reports Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Understanding the human body is a team effort. That's where the Yachtel group comes in.

0:05.8

Researchers at Yachtolt have been delving into the secrets of probiotics for 90 years.

0:11.0

Yacold also partners with nature portfolio to advance gut microbiome science through the global grants for gut health, an investigator-led research program.

0:19.6

To learn more about Yachtolt, visit yawcult.co.

0:22.7

.j.p. That's Y-A-K-U-L-T.C-O.J-P. When it comes to a guide for your gut, count on Yacolt.

0:33.4

This is Scientific American 60-second science. I'm Christopher Nthalata. Got a minute?

0:39.5

Home-based bird watchers might have mixed up a batch of nectar

0:42.6

to attract the feathered objects of their affection.

0:45.5

It's pretty easy, just mix sugar and water.

0:48.6

But the real stuff is a lot more complex.

0:51.6

Nearly all nectar are laced with amino acids,

0:53.7

and some contain alkaloids,

0:56.2

like nicotine and caffeine. So what's the plant's motivation for producing such chemicals?

1:02.2

It's possible that this is an antimicrobial adaptation of plants. They're toxifying their nectar

1:09.2

to protect it from spoilage by yeast or other microbes.

1:12.6

Leif Richardson, an ecologist at the University of Vermont.

1:16.1

He says the compounds might also be a chemical defense.

1:19.4

Maybe the compounds are deterrent to nectar robbers who take nectar without pollinating.

1:25.8

And yes.

1:26.7

Nectar robbing is indeed a thing.

1:28.3

But Richardson and his colleagues have come up with yet another function for nectar's chemicals,

1:32.7

as medicine for bees.

...

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