Table 1.

Methods used to extract nectar from flowers and their suitability in relation to nectar volume (low (<1 μl) or high)

Method	Description	Nectar volume suitability	Selected references
Microcapillary tubes	Suction of raw nectar by capillary action up a narrow tube of known volume. Nectar volume can be quantified based on how much it has displaced the air inside the tube. Nectar can be expelled from the tube for analysis	Low–high	Corbet (2003), Morrant et al. (2009)
Filter paper	Soakage of nectar onto filter paper wicks which are subsequently immersed in water. The filter paper material is removed leaving a nectar–water solution for analysis	Low–high	Kearns and Inouye (1993), McKenna and Thomson (1988), Morrant et al. (2009)
Wash	Washing flower in sealed tube of a known volume of distilled water, followed by removal of the flower, leaving behind a nectar–water solution for analysis	Low–high	Grunfeld, Vincent, and Bagnara (1989), Morrant et al. (2009)
Rinse	Pouring a known volume of distilled water over the nectaries of a flower. The collected nectar–water solution can be used for analysis	Low–high	Nunez (1977), Mallick (2000), Morrant et al. (2009)
Micropipettes and microsyringes	Suction of raw nectar up a syringe or narrow tube, manually or with the aid of a pipette. Nectar volume can be quantified and analysed by expelling the nectar from the tube/syringe	High	Corbet (2003), Lanza, Smith, Suellen, and Cash (1995), Mallick (2000), Wykes (1952)
Centrifuge	The flower is secured in a centrifuge tube which is spun at high speed in a centrifuge to release nectar. Nectar is collected on the sides of the tube and can be removed using a microcapillary tube for quantification and analysis	High	Armstrong and Paton (1990), Swanson and Shuel (1950)
Aspirator	Nectar is drawn from the flower using a capillary tube (of known volume) attached to a power‐driven aspirator. Nectar volume can be quantified and analysed by expelling the nectar from the tube	High	Armstrong and Paton (1990)