Need help on Chemistry

[Rising-Sun]

I don't know how to put this on paper or explain, what I am trying to do is draw nectars from a plant when Spring arrive. Either Alchemy and/or Chemistry is involved.

I been working on a pet project for some years and didn't come out well. Books I have collected from many sources doesn't cover it and I am trying to collect as many nectars if possible, they only bloom and fade away within a week. There only two plants I know they need to develop from in my areas. One is early Spring and the other is mid Summer.

So I wasn't sure what books I should grab and equipment I may need to do this when Spring finally arrive. Hummingbird nectars doesn't work or any other household products like honey mixed with waters. These little critters need special nectars to develop some silks to spin in a cacoon. I have tried insects and doesn't work, they are only for adult foods. So the young need these special nectars to grow. So these special nectars along with other food sources will work. Only the problems I am having is not be able to find a way to draw and save up nectars. I have tried the markets to see if any would work including bee pollens and still doesn't work.

Does anyone have any experience of doing this kind of attract or draw liquids as nectars from plants? If even possible??

[TulliusDetritus]

So you want to harvest nectar? I suspect it's going to be quite complicated [8D]

Look this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IPQTs0cfqw

And this (lots of links in the comments): http://www.researchgate.net/post/Does_a ... ry_flowers

And this: Field methods for sampling and storing nectar from flowers with low nectar volumes

[Rising-Sun]

Cool, that might help me with my project at least give me some ideas. What I usually do is cut those plants around 3-4 inches from the top and place them in water containers so they will last longer. Too bad the queen doesn't care for other plants, sometime she eat insects off those plants that have been collecting pollens and nectars, but doesn't always work.

So I watch her flying around collecting nectars and fly back to her nest. When I spotted a queen collecting from this type of plant outside, I grab some and place them in a terrarium and she went crazy on it. Too bad her young didn't make it and had to be pulled and abandoned and then she start over laying eggs. One the second around within few weeks she manage to get two to four white capped cacoons and I was so excited it worked last Spring. So her colony died out couple months later because lack of nectars they need. Sadly these workers only live for two months.

I found her nest late May in a tree and it was a bad spot and the apartment's crew will spray and kill her along with it. So I decided to get her and the nest and see what I can do. Most books only explain outside environments and doesn't look like anyone ever done this inside or captivity. You guys probably wonder what kind of critters I have here. Here some videos I took earlier...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qAhSzs ... ZWZ2eQbKlY