Bees Could Visit Flower “Pharmacies” When They Are Sick

Abstract

When you are sick, you might go to the pharmacy to get some medicines. But have you ever wondered what do animals do when they are sick? Bees are tremendously important given the roles they play in the environment and human societies. Unfortunately, bees have been declining in the last decades, partly due to infection by parasites. But certain flowers may help them! Bees collect resources from various flowers and, recently, scientists have shown that some of these flower resources could help bees fight infections. Flower resources contain many essential nutrients as well as very specific medicines that could strengthen the bees or kill the parasites. Once sick, bees could prioritize the collection of resources from specific flowers to deal with their parasites and heal themselves. It is therefore important for us to plant flowers rich in essential nutrients, as well as flowers rich in medicines that help bees to thrive and fight off infections.