honey bees and bumble bees. Notable research from her group includes the discovery that some toxic compounds that can be
Ambrosia and Royal Jelly How Bees Meet Their Nutritional Needs NOON - 1 PM
Monday, June 4
Bees feed on floral pollen as a source of protein, fat and micronutrients like vitamins, minerals and sterols. In this talk, Dr. Wright will describe the chemical nature of pollen collected from across the UK. She will show how bees refine the chemical nature of their food starting with pollen, then bee bread and finally how bee bread is converted to royal jelly. She will also report data from experiments designed to test how honeybees regulate their intake of carbohydrates, proteins and fats to show how bees optimize their intake of essential macronutrients. In addition, Dr. Wright will discuss the nutritional value of commercially-available pollen substitutes and how they compare to the nutrition rendered by feeding bees with pollen. The implications of the work for bee husbandry and land management to optimize bee nutrition will also be discussed.
Presented by the WSU Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington Research & Extension Center
Participate in this FREE WSU Seminar via video-link at the WSU, Island County Office
406 N. Main St. Coupeville
Dr. Geraldine Wright is a Professor of Insect Neuroethology in the Institute of Neuroscience at Newcastle University. Her research is focused on chemical sensation and nutritional regulation in honey bees and bumble bees. Notable research from her group includes the discovery that some toxic compounds that can be found in nectar are hard for bees to detect. Some compounds, like caffeine and neonicotinoid pesticides, cause bees to learn to prefer foods containing them. Her current research has shown bees have specific optima for macronutrients such as carbohydrates, protein, and fats.
Dr. Geraldine Wright
For more information: call 360-639-6060 or email
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