Variation in pollinator quality is fundamental to the evolution of plant-pollinator mutualisms and such variation frequently results from differences in foraging behavior. Surprisingly, despite substantial intraindividual variation in pollinator foraging behavior, the consequences for pollen removal and deposition on flowers are largely unknown. We asked how two pollen foraging behaviors of a generalist pollinator (Bombus impatiens) affect removal and deposition of heterospecific and conspecific pollen, key aspects of pollinator quality, for multiple plant species. In addition, we examined how bee body size and pollen placement among body parts shaped pollen movement. We manipulated foraging behavior types using artificial flowers, which donated pollen that captive bees then deposited on three recipient plant species. While body size primarily affected donor pollen removal, foraging behavior primarily affected donor pollen deposition. How behavior affected donor pollen deposition depended on the plant species and the quantity of donor pollen on the bee’s abdomen. Plant species with smaller stigmas received significantly less pollen and fewer bees successfully transferred pollen to them. For a single plant species, heterospecific pollen interfered with conspecific pollen deposition, such that more heterospecific pollen on the bee’s abdomen resulted in less conspecific pollen deposition on the flower. Thus, intraindividual variation in foraging behavior and its interaction with the amount and placement of acquired pollen and with floral morphology can affect pollinator quality and may shape plant fitness via both conspecific and heterospecific pollen transfer.

传粉者质量的变化是植物与传粉者共生关系进化的基础，这种变化通常是由觅食行为的差异引起的。令人惊讶的是，尽管传粉媒介的觅食行为存在很大的个体差异，但花粉去除和花粉沉积的后果在很大程度上是未知的。我们询问了通才授粉者 ( Bombus impatiens) 的两种花粉觅食行为如何) 影响多种植物物种的异种和同种花粉的去除和沉积，这是传粉者质量的关键方面。此外，我们研究了蜜蜂的身体大小和身体部位之间的花粉位置如何影响花粉运动。我们使用人造花操纵了觅食行为类型，人造花捐赠了圈养蜜蜂的花粉，然后将其沉积在三个受体植物物种上。虽然体型主要影响供体花粉的去除，但觅食行为主要影响供体花粉的沉积。行为如何影响供体花粉沉积取决于植物种类和蜜蜂腹部供体花粉的数量。柱头较小的植物物种获得的花粉明显较少，成功地将花粉传递给它们的蜜蜂也较少。对于单一的植物物种，异种花粉干扰同种花粉沉积，因此蜜蜂腹部的异种花粉越多，花上的同种花粉沉积就越少。因此，觅食行为的个体差异及其与获得的花粉的数量和位置以及花卉形态的相互作用会影响传粉者的质量，并可能通过同种和异种花粉转移来塑造植物的适应性。