Flower sharing and pollinator health: a behavioural perspective

Disease is an integral part of any organisms' life, and bees have evolved immune responses and a suite of hygienic behaviours to keep them at bay in the nest. It is now evident that flowers are another transmission hub for pathogens and parasites, raising questions about adaptations that help pollinating insects stay healthy while visiting hundreds of plants over their lifetime. Drawing on recent advances in our understanding of how bees of varying size, dietary specialization and sociality differ in their foraging ranges, navigational strategies and floral resource preferences, we explore the behavioural mechanisms and strategies that may enable foraging bees to reduce disease exposure and transmission risks at flowers by partitioning overlapping resources in space and in time. By taking a novel behavioural perspective, we highlight the missing links between disease biology and the ecology of plant-pollinator relationships, critical for improving the understanding of disease transmission risks and the better design and management of habitat for pollinator conservation.This article is part of the theme issue 'Natural processes influencing pollinator health: from chemistry to landscapes'.

Automated summary

Bees have evolved immune responses and hygienic behaviors to prevent disease transmission in their nests. Recent research shows that flowers can also serve as transmission hubs for pathogens and parasites. Understanding the behavioral mechanisms and strategies of foraging bees can help reduce disease exposure and transmission risks at flowers.