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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Subject:
From:
Peter L Borst <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 26 Jul 2011 11:15:45 -0400
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Cotton produces nectar on the stems. Of course, the reasons for breeding non-nectar secreting cotton may have been different from what Bob said. There may have been other reasons (maybe growers just hate bees)

> It is well known that plant flowers produce nectar that is important in encouraging pollination, as well as providing food for bats, birds and insects. However, few people are aware of plant extrafloral nectaries that are nectar-producing glands physically apart from the flower. Extrafloral nectaries have been identified in more than 2,000 plant species in more than 64 families.

> Peak secretion of cotton extrafloral nectaries occurs in July. 

> Removal of extrafloral nectaries from cotton decreased field populations of both phytophagous (60% reduction) and predacious insects (17–35% reduction). Interestingly, a great many species of vines have extrafloral nectaries and the evolution and selection for extrafloral nectaries is hypothesized to occur as a direct result of the ants using the vines as natural pathways into the forest canopy.

Plant Extrafloral Nectaries. Russell F. Mizell III and Partricia A. Mizell. 
Encyclopedia of Entomology. Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2008

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