[hank235]

can anyone shed light on why bees would be eating up coffee grounds spread in the garden?

 

[Ben Brewcat]

Very common, and I have no idea. Every spring (and to some extent later in the season) you'll see bees doing odd foraging on rotten leaves, compost piles, etc. I don't think anyone has gotten the bees to give up their reasoning, but they do orient on odors so strong-smelling things like grounds might attract along those lines. They don't seem to actually forage the grounds in my experience (like packing them in their baskets), just sort of scouting/licking them. Other ideas could be mineral content or maybe they think it'll be a propolis source?

 

[bluegrass]

I would guess that they are taking moisture out of them, they do the same thing with sawdust.

 

[Budster]

My guess is mycelium, a pre-mushroom growth found in composting. Just a guess though. Possibly a pollen substitute...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycelium

 

[Barry Digman]

They're attracted to the sugars.

 

[concrete-bees]

my guess would be that they are after the Caffeine !!!!! that way they can pull long shifts and work late into the night to drawn that perfect white spring wax that we beekeepers love to see!!!!

haha

but my guess really is that its moisture searching bees that are new in the field and havent learned the ropes yet

 

[AmericasBeekeeper]

A recent study said they are addicted to caffein and nicotine.