Is pollinator activity influenced by non-protein nectar amino acids?

feeding on plant nectar (Fig. 2). The abundant nectar of the plant was analysed and it resulted remarkably rich in proline and β-alanine amino acids (Rossi et al., 2014). The hypothesis is that this composition could influence insect dynamism, exerting a narcotic effect on pollinators (Nepi, 2014). This study is focused on the plant-pollinator relationship in an isolated population of Gentiana lutea subsp. symphyandra. G. lutea L. (Gentianaceae) is a long-lived species that mainly grows on calcareous (sub)-alpine pastures. Flowering occurs between June and July. The study population is located on the eastern slope of Mount Grande (Northern Apennines; Bologna, Italy), between 1380 and 1460 m a.s.l. (Fig. 1). The main visitors of the plant in this population are bumble bees.