 In at least some species , once a bumblebee has visited a flower , it leaves a scent mark on it . This scent mark deters bumblebees from visiting that flower until the scent degrades . This scent mark is a general chemical bouquet that bumblebees leave behind in different locations ( e.g. nest , neutral , and food sites ) , and they learn to use this bouquet to identify both rewarding and unrewarding flowers . Bumblebees rely on this chemical bouquet more when the flower has a high handling time , that is , where it takes a longer time for the bee to find the nectar once inside the flower . 
