OPPORTUNISTIC BUMBLE BEES CONGREGATE TO FEED AT RARE, DISTANT ALPINE HONEYDEW BONANZAS

Numerous Bombus terricola Kirby workers and males ingested crystallizi ng honeydew that had accumulated on balsam firs in the alpine tundra n ear the summit of Whiteface Mt., N.Y., during unusually warm, dry weat her in July 1982 and 1991. Bumble bees may fly far to opportunisticall y exploit this rare, energy-rich resource. This has significant implic ations for optimal foraging theory.