quinine

Although bees did not drink less of the pesticide-laced solutions, the authors demonstrated "bitter" taste avoidance using the compound quinine.

Certain toxic compounds, like quinine, taste "bitter" to bees, so the researchers sought to find out whether this sense of taste could help them avoid drinking pesticides.

Quinine in sugar solution was deterrent to bees at high concentrations.

This tour of the world's toxins includes obvious candidates such as cocaine and nicotine but also substances less likely to be viewed as poisons: quinine, caffeine and cinnamon.

Carbonated water failed to do that but it did inspire the creation of medicated water, or tonic water infused with quinine from the bark of the cinchona tree.