Measuring honey bee feeding rhythms with the BeeBox, a platform for nectar foraging insects

Food intake was higher in constant light and lower in constant darkness in honey bees.

• Honey bees displayed a rhythmic pattern of feeding that persisted in the absence of light cues.
• Average hourly syrup consumption per bee varied based on light conditions, indicating a link between circadian rhythm and feeding behavior.
• Mortality rates among bees increased when kept in constant light conditions.
• The study utilized a new platform called the BeeBox to explore feeding behavior in a controlled environment.

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