My perception is that it's more complex than that. Do they eat the raw
pollen at all? But rather prep it first as a form of yogurt - bee bread.
As I have examined fresh pollen from the anther at 400x , pollens swell and
change shape with water or even glycerin.
I don't think honey has the same effect, as it may actually draw water out
osmotically?
See Jason Nelson article, BeeCulture, Feb. 2009
Don Coats, DVM, LLC
Romancing the Pollinators with citizen science for cultural change.
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