Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: callingtotheoutside on 26/07/2009 11:07:37

Title: What is in dog urine (possibly other urine?) that attracts bees?
Post by: callingtotheoutside on 26/07/2009 11:07:37

I work at a kennels and every day i have to hose down the dog runs, in the summer when the bees come out they crawl all over the patches of wee and i have to gently encourage them away with a fine mist of water so i don't kill any. They seem to be more attracted to male urine and its been something that I've been wondering about for a while. What draws them in and when they land can they actually use anything in the urine?

Title: What is in dog urine (possibly other urine?) that attracts bees?
Post by: Chemistry4me on 27/07/2009 02:44:10

Sugar?

Title: What is in dog urine (possibly other urine?) that attracts bees?
Post by: glovesforfoxes on 28/07/2009 01:11:28

i doubt it's sugar. evolution would not permit the wasting of energy, especially not peeing it down the drain, as.. well.. it's highly disadvantageous to do so, and the dog would rather get fat than lose energy. it isn't present in human urine, i'm pretty sure, unless the urinator (god that should be a movie name) has a disease, most likely affecting the kidneys, though i am less sure of that of course ^^

something i found:

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Entomology-Study-Bugs-665/Bee-urine.htm

which used this as a reference :/

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Are_bees_attracted_to_dog_urine

seems like an unreliable source, but the information makes sense. following the advice on the website, you get this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puddling_%28biology%29

a more trustworthy source that i just found:

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/119378645/abstract?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0

seems to support what the poster at wikianswers said, in that urine is a source of nutrition for bees. i can't imagine that dog urine would be much different in content to human urine - it is likely to be even more concentrated, probably, if any experience of my dogs water drinking habits are anything to go by!

hmm. but i vaguely remember that excess amino acids can be converted into energy eventually too, so why waste those? i also remember ammonia, uric acid, etc being formed because of something to do with toxicity and availability of water, but that would require more research.

Title: What is in dog urine (possibly other urine?) that attracts bees?
Post by: Karen W. on 28/07/2009 07:52:26

I think one should keep in mind that bees are not only attracted to sugar but also to meats and proteins and urine will often harbor proteins.. so perhaps that is also attractive to them!