[Pollinator] [beemonitoring] Sugar refractometers

[Peter Bernhardt]

Dear Jack:

Thanks.  When it comes to nectar volumes of < 2 micro liters I prefer to
pool instead of dilute.  Generally speaking, plants offering very little
nectar produce more than one flower on the same day so my readings may be
based on an entire inflorescence or section (paracladium) of an
inflorescence.  Then I've had some really weird cases like Paeonia brownii
that produces so much fluid my nectar measurements can be based on the
contents of only one nectar gland on the same flower or I can pool the
contents of half a dozen cup-shaped glands on the same flower.

http://www.pollinationecology.org/index.php?journal=jpe&page=article&op=view&path%5B%5D=193


On Mon, Apr 6, 2015 at 10:17 AM, Jack Neff <jlnatctmi at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Nectar from the crop of a honey bee or bumble bee is easily measured.  If
> one wants to be precise about volume one can dissect out the crop but if
> all one wants is concentration, the bee will usually regurgitate
> significant amounts of nectar with gentle pressure on the metasoma (one
> usually needs to wear gloves to avoid getting stung.
> B &S Eclipse models work well.  One can attempt direct measurement of
> concentration in nectar amounts less than 1 micro (very common in many
> small flowers) by diluting the nectar sample on the refractometer with a
> known volume of distilled water to get a sample big enough to measure than
> back calculating the concentration of the original (small) sample.
>
> best
>
> Jack
>
> John L. Neff
> Central Texas Melittological Institute
> 7307 Running Rope
> Austin,TX 78731 USA
> 512-345-7219
>
>
>
>   On Monday, April 6, 2015 9:24 AM, "Peter Bernhardt bernhap2 at slu.edu
> [beemonitoring]" <beemonitoring-noreply at yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>  What it be possible to have a discussion on the merits of different
> models of hand-held sugar refractometers?  This is the time of year in
> which our lab receives inquiries on what we use and what they should order.
>
> Since 1985, our lab has remained faithful to the hand-held sugar
> refractometer models produced by Bellingham and Standley.  We've ordered
> them through Epic and try to keep up with changes in models.  We currently
> use the Eclipse 45-03 for nectars removed from flowers under bridal veil or
> muslin.  We've been happy with Eclipse models over the years as they
> provide a reading with only 2 micro liters of fluid.  We are currently
> writing up our paper on pollination of Asclepias meadii.  Nectar
> extractions were easy as a first day flower usually secreted about 5 micro
> liters.  Yes, our lab also sends out dried nectar spots for biochemical
> analyses (sugars and amino acids) when the budget permits.
>
> However, I recently received an inquiry about a refractometer to measure
> sugar concentrations removed from the crops of honeybees.  We've never done
> that in our lab.  I notice that Bellingham and Standley offer a "honey and
> water" model.  I've never used it and wonder if anyone here has?
>
> http://www.bellinghamandstanley.com/ltd/handheld_tech.html
>
> Peter
>  __._,_.___
>   ------------------------------
> Posted by: Peter Bernhardt <bernhap2 at slu.edu>
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