  We present a differential equation-based mathematical model of nectar
foraging by the honey bee Apis mellifera. The model focuses on two behavioural
classes; nectar foragers and nectar receivers. Results generated from the model
are used to demonstrate how different classes within a collective can
collaborate to combine information and produce finely tuned decisions through
simple interactions. In particular we show the importance of the `search time'
- the time a returning forager takes to find an available nectar receiver - in
restricting the forager population to a level consistent with colony-wide
needs.
