Ambient Temperature Influences Australian Native Stingless Bee (Trigona carbonaria) Preference for Warm Nectar

The interaction between flowers and insect pollinators is an important aspect of the reproductive mechanisms of many plant species. Several laboratory and field studies indicate that raising flower temperature above ambient can be an advantage in attracting pollinators. Here we demonstrate that this preference for warmer flowers is, in fact, context-dependent. Using an Australian native bee as a model, we demonstrate for the first time a significant shift in behaviour when the ambient temperature reaches 34°C, at which point bees prefer ambient temperature nectar over warmer nectar. We then use thermal imaging techniques to show warmer nectar maintains the flight temperature of bees during the period of rest on flowers at lower ambient temperatures but the behavioural switch is associated with the body temperature rising above that maintained during flight. These findings suggest that flower-pollinator interactions are dependent upon ambient temperature and may therefore alter in different thermal environments.