Honey bees transport pollen particles of varying shape and size by forming them into a permanent granule*

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) carry pollen back to their hive by mixing it with nectar and forming it into a pellet, which they carry in the corbicula, or pollen basket, on their hind legs. We show that most pellets do not fluidize when subjected to vibrations or when brought into contact with a similar suspension of lower volume fraction, suggesting that it is a permanent granule. We also explore the behavior of pellets made from different size and shaped pollen particles. The bees form the pellet by squeezing small amounts of pollen and nectar through the joint of their hind leg, called the pollen press, into the pollen basket. Through many repetitions, they form a pellet of up to 2 mm³. This method allows honey bees to collect pollen of various sizes and shapes.