Kaitlyn Bresnahan ’25
Honeybee Nutrition Through the Ages
Kaitlyn Bresnahan ’25, Biology major
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rachael Bonoan, Biology
Honey bee nutrition can tell us a lot about the state of the hive. It is known that summer worker bees and winter worker bees have different protein and carbon content (Mattila et al., 2007), but not much research has been done on nutritional content throughout the life history stages of honey bees. I am examining differences in carbon and nitrogen content in the bees for the three different castes at various life stages. The results could allow for more efficient planting of pollinator friendly plants based on the nutritional needs of the colony, or could affect how beekeepers do supplemental feedings when necessary. Data could also inform future experiments on honeybee nutritional ecology.
Poster Presentation: Tuesday, April 25, 2 – 4 p.m.
