Curr Biol November 2015 PMID 26480843

Caffeinated forage tricks honeybees into increasing foraging and recruitment behaviors.

Margaret J Couvillon, Hasan Al Toufailia, Thomas M Butterfield, Felix Schrell, Francis L W Ratnieks, Roger Schürch

Mentions

19
Peak: 6 in Nov 2022
across 5 sources since Feb 2019

Extended reach

11,426
potential audience

Total likes

258

Video views

7,821

Mentions per month

Feb 2019 – Feb 2024

Where it's discussed

  • X / Twitter8 posts
  • News7 articles
  • YouTube2 videos
  • Instagram1 posts
  • Blogs1 articles

AI synopsis

What people are saying

The discussions highlight how caffeine can enhance bee foraging and recruitment activities, with phrases like 'helps them pollinate more effectively' and comments about bees 'helping survive' through caffeine consumption. The tone varies from curiosity to slight concern, reflecting a moderate level of engagement and recognition of ecological implications.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions seem to agree that caffeine influences bee behavior positively, with some noting the ecological and behavioral implications.

InterestModerate interest

Participants show curiosity and some enthusiasm about the findings, but the overall interest remains moderate as the discussions include a mix of facts and opinions.

EngagementModerate engagement

Posts reference specific mechanisms like foraging and recruitment, indicating a mid-level engagement with the research details.

ImpactNeutral impact

While some recognize the potential ecological effects, the discussions reflect awareness rather than emphasizing immediate or revolutionary impacts.

Abstract in brief

  • Caffeine in nectar influences honeybees by boosting their foraging and recruitment behaviors, leading to more bee activity and colony recruitment in the field.
  • The study suggests that caffeine makes bees more likely to overestimate the quality of nectar, encouraging them to focus on certain food sources even if they are suboptimal, which could shift the relationship between plants and bees from mutualistic to more exploitative.
  • While caffeine may enhance bees' memory and foraging efficiency in laboratory settings, its broader ecological impact, including potential reductions in honey storage, is complex and might alter how pollination dynamics work in nature.]

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Phil Stevenson
@chickpeaman · X

Five smart things honeybees can do https://t.co/Gt4AGS5mZv to help them survive and pollinate plants but they can do them more effectively when consuming caffeine in their food https://t.co/wgTLp9pkNu https://t.co/rWvG4GqYCL plants boss bees!

Feb 10, 2019 · 4 likes · 1 share · 2,024 followers View post →
Thorsten Schwerte
@tschwerte · X

Ein typisches Beispiel, wie ähnlich uns die Insekten sind, sie lassen für legale Drogen, wie Koffein sogar ihr Leben … https://t.co/jZRl2OLBPe

Nov 19, 2022 · 2 likes · 2 shares · 46 followers View post →
“omid”
@omid_nick · X

مصرف کافئین باعث افزایش جستجو، محدود بودن جستجو به یک منطقه‌ی خاص، افزایش رقص و بسیج شدن بیشتر زنبورها میشه. تخمین زده میشه که زنبورها ۴ برابر بیشتر از باقی گل‌ها، از گل‌های کافئین‌دار استقبال می‌کنن. این افزایش انرژی و نشاط زنبورهارو غیرمنطقی میکنه و https://t.co/n5wymGQzsE

Jul 30, 2022 · 1 like · 79 followers View post →
Charlotte Couch
@CharlotteCouch1 · X

RT @chickpeaman: Five smart things honeybees can do https://t.co/Gt4AGS5mZv to help them survive and pollinate plants but they can do them…

Feb 10, 2019 · 1 share · 1,099 followers View post →
Corinna Wallinger
@Corinna2Walling · X

RT @tschwerte: Ein typisches Beispiel, wie ähnlich uns die Insekten sind, sie lassen für legale Drogen, wie Koffein sogar ihr Leben … https…

Nov 20, 2022 · 2 shares · 107 followers View post →
Applied Animal Ecology
@AAEuibk · X

RT @tschwerte: Ein typisches Beispiel, wie ähnlich uns die Insekten sind, sie lassen für legale Drogen, wie Koffein sogar ihr Leben … https…

Nov 30, 2022 · 2 shares · 99 followers View post →

All mentions

Applied Animal Ecology
@AAEuibk · X

RT @tschwerte: Ein typisches Beispiel, wie ähnlich uns die Insekten sind, sie lassen für legale Drogen, wie Koffein sogar ihr Leben … https…

Nov 30, 2022 · 2 shares · 99 followers View post →
GndBeeKeepers
@GndBeeKeepers · X

Buzzing bees: caffeinated forage tricks honeybees into increasing foraging and recruitment behaviors https://t.co/4nNu6of15U

Nov 29, 2022 · 38 followers View post →
Institut für Zoologie Universität Innsbruck
@Zoology_Biology · X

Legal High in Silberlinden tötet Bienen & Hummeln? https://t.co/kcBv81Rv8p via @YouTube

Nov 23, 2022 · 8 followers View post →
Corinna Wallinger
@Corinna2Walling · X

RT @tschwerte: Ein typisches Beispiel, wie ähnlich uns die Insekten sind, sie lassen für legale Drogen, wie Koffein sogar ihr Leben … https…

Nov 20, 2022 · 2 shares · 107 followers View post →
Thorsten Schwerte
@tschwerte · X

Ein typisches Beispiel, wie ähnlich uns die Insekten sind, sie lassen für legale Drogen, wie Koffein sogar ihr Leben … https://t.co/jZRl2OLBPe

Nov 19, 2022 · 2 likes · 2 shares · 46 followers View post →
“omid”
@omid_nick · X

مصرف کافئین باعث افزایش جستجو، محدود بودن جستجو به یک منطقه‌ی خاص، افزایش رقص و بسیج شدن بیشتر زنبورها میشه. تخمین زده میشه که زنبورها ۴ برابر بیشتر از باقی گل‌ها، از گل‌های کافئین‌دار استقبال می‌کنن. این افزایش انرژی و نشاط زنبورهارو غیرمنطقی میکنه و https://t.co/n5wymGQzsE

Jul 30, 2022 · 1 like · 79 followers View post →
Charlotte Couch
@CharlotteCouch1 · X

RT @chickpeaman: Five smart things honeybees can do https://t.co/Gt4AGS5mZv to help them survive and pollinate plants but they can do them…

Feb 10, 2019 · 1 share · 1,099 followers View post →
Phil Stevenson
@chickpeaman · X

Five smart things honeybees can do https://t.co/Gt4AGS5mZv to help them survive and pollinate plants but they can do them more effectively when consuming caffeine in their food https://t.co/wgTLp9pkNu https://t.co/rWvG4GqYCL plants boss bees!

Feb 10, 2019 · 4 likes · 1 share · 2,024 followers View post →
ألعاب العقل | PDF
News

‫هائال في‬ ‫‪org/10.1016/j.cub.2015.08.052‬‬ ‫الطعام بطرق قد تفيد النبات‪.‬‬ ‫مجرة أندروميدا‪ ،‬معروف باسم‬ ‫)‪(2015‬‬ ‫تنتج نباتات عديدة مادة الكافيين‬ ...

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Maneiras de Ser Animais - Plantas - Máquinas A Busca Por Uma ...
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... 10.1016/j.cub.2015.08.052>. Sobre a propriocepção, ver. O. Hamant e B. Moulia, “How Do Plants Read Their Own Shapes?”, New Phytologist, v. 212, n. 2, pp. 333 ...

Dec 17, 2025 View →
www .laborjournal.de
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Bestäuber (current Biology doi: 10.1016/j. cub.2015.08.052). Einerseits sind viele. Pflanzen darauf angewiesen, Insekten mit süßen Säften anzulocken, damit ...

Dec 17, 2025 View →
Happy Coffee Buzz! It turns out that honeybees are drawn to ...
Instagram

... 10.1016/j.cub.2015.08.052. . . . . . . . . . . . . #adelaide #southaustralia #beekeepers #beekeepersofinstagram #adelaidebusiness ...

May 7, 2023 View →
Koffein verführt Honigbienen - wissenschaft.de
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Couvillon, Margaret (University of Sussex) et al., Current Biology, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2015.08.052. © wissenschaft.de ...

Oct 16, 2015 View →
Auch Bienen lieben Koffein - Kaffee-Wirkstoff im Nektar verstärkt das ...
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“ (Current Biology, 2015; doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2015.08.052). (Universität Bern, 16.10.2015 – AKR). 16. Oktober 2015. Keine Meldungen mehr ...

Oct 16, 2015 View →
Plants spike nectar with caffeine and give bees a buzz | New Scientist
Blogs

“It's kind of an arms race.” Journal reference: Current Biology, DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2015.08.052. Read more: “Bitter sweet nectar: Why some ...

Oct 15, 2015 View →
Buzzing bees can't resist caffeinated nectar | EurekAlert!
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... 10.1016/j.cub.2015.08.052. Current Biology (@CurrentBiology), published by Cell Press, is a bimonthly journal that features papers across all ...

Oct 15, 2015 View →
Buzzing bees can't resist caffeinated nectar | ScienceDaily
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Current Biology, 2015 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2015.08.052. Cite This Page: MLA; APA; Chicago. Cell Press. "Buzzing bees can't resist caffeinated ...

Oct 15, 2015 View →