-"Caffeine Amps Up Bees' Memory, Study Finds"
-Amina Khan, Los Angeles Times
-March 7, 2013
-http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-bees-caffeine-20130308,0,3993130.story
Caffeine is not only for humans to get their energy, but when bees take in nectar with a bit of caffeine, they get a little boost of energy, and a little boost in their memory. Labs have done research where when a bee takes in nectar with the slightest trace of caffeine, they could slightly remember a floral scent about three days later. However, if there is a larger amount of caffeine, then they could completely remember the sent three days later. Neuroethologist Geraldine Wright found slight doses of caffeine in the nectar of coffee plants and four types of citrus. The bees were trained by being sprayed a floral scent in their faces, then being fed the sources of caffeine. When the experiment was done ten minutes later, it was not as effective as it was when tested repeatedly as time passed. The bees were not only tested as they were alive, but their brains were taken out and hooked up to electrodes, and flooded with caffeine. The caffeine had an effect on the neurons that were involved with their memory, similar to the effect it had with the brain of mammals.