Beebread, the fermented pollen stored in honeycombs, is a very important food for honey bees and holds promise as a nutraceutical for humans. A recent research, carried out in Taiwan and published in The Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, showed that pollen from different botanical sources leads to different types of beebread. Beebread derived from rapeseed (Brassica napus), beggartick (Bidens pilosa), and tea tree (Camellia sinensis) exhibits distinct nutritional characteristics and different microbiomes. In other words, different flowers produce different foods, each with specific nutritional value and potentially unique probiotic properties.

Further investigation will be needed to better understand the importance of botanical sources for this essential honey bee food.

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