I can just see it now...all of us gathered around the patio table, enjoying our morning coffee, when suddenly here come the bees to join us. Of course, they won't drink much as they prefer the flowers. How could we ever turn away another few coffee lovers?
Thanks to the folks over at Listverse, I have even more respect for the humble bee than ever before!
Coffee Contains Caffeine To Attract Bees
Every other coffee list on the Internet will tell you that coffee was discovered by goat herders, whose goats got a little jolly after munching on coffee berries. But why does coffee contain caffeine to begin with? Well, it’s toxic to slugs and other pests, but it turns out it also has an effect on pollinators such as bees. In fact, scientists think they get—wait for it—a buzz from the caffeine in the flowers of plants.
Scientists found that consuming caffeine helped bees to improve their long-term memories. The caffeine acts on the brain chemistry of bees in a way that makes the flowers more memorable, so the bees are more likely to return to plants of the same type. Though bees and humans are very different, some experts suggest the capacity to be affected by caffeine could be as old as the common ancestors we share, as it impacts our neurological activity on a very fundamental level.
I'm happy to know that Mother Nature lets us share our craving for caffeine with some of her finer creatures. Kind of a special feeling, being able to share!
Coffee on the patio this morning. I'm in the mood for sausage and biscuits, OK?
