Oxygen consumption in the foraging honeybee depends on the reward rate at the food source

Oxygen consumption of the honeybee Apis mellifera ligustica was measured as a function of the flow rate supply of sucrose solution at an automatic feeder located inside a respirometric chamber. Trained bees freely entered the respirometric chamber and collected the sucrose solution supplied. The mean value of the O2 consumption rate per visit increased with the sucrose flow rate, and for a given flow rate, with increasing locomotor activity. However, when no locomotor activity was displayed, O2 consumption also increased with increasing nectar flow rate. Crop load attained at the end of the visit showed a positive relationship with the nectar flow rate; however, for a given flow rate, O2 consumption showed either no correlation or a negative one with the final crop load attained. It is concluded that the energy expenditure of the foraging bee is controlled by a motivational drive whose intensity depends on the reward rate at the food source.