Did You Know Bees Work Better With Caffeine?

We are not the only ones who like coffee. Scientists have shown that honeybees demonstrate improved memory of reward when they consume small amounts of caffeine, which can be found in coffee and citrus flowers [1].

It was also possible to teach bumblebees to visit specific flowers, as they associated the smell of those flowers with previous caffeine consumption [2]. Scientists even speculated that one day it could be possible to use caffeine to increase pollination efficiency of specific crops, improving yield and quality. 

[1] Caffeine in Floral Nectar Enhances a Pollinator's Memory of Reward (Science)

[2] Bumble bees show induced preference for flowers when primed with caffeinated nectar & target floral odor (Current Biology)