Pesticides influence ground-nesting bee development and longevity

April 16, 2019

Study explores little-understood effects of soil exposure on subterranean colonies Results from a new study suggest that bees might be exposed to pesticides in more ways than we thought, and it could impact their development significantly. The study, published in Nature’s Scientific Reports, looks at the non-target effects of pesticides on ground-nesting bees, a group that … More Pesticides influence ground-nesting bee development and longevity

Sunflower pollen has medicinal, protective effects on bees

April 9, 2019

With bee populations in decline, a new study offers hope for a relatively simple mechanism to promote bee health and well-being: providing bees access to sunflowers. The study, conducted by researchers at North Carolina State University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, showed that two different species of bees fed a diet of sunflower pollen … More Sunflower pollen has medicinal, protective effects on bees

Help Protect the Birds and the Bees!

April 2, 2019

Tell the American Environmental Protection Agency to  Regulate Pesticide-Coated Seeds!!! Neonicotinoid (neonic) pesticides are systemic chemicals used on dozens of crops – but did you know their most damaging and common use is as “seed coatings?” During this process, neonic pesticides are applied to seeds prior to planting. After these seeds coated in pesticides are planted, … More Help Protect the Birds and the Bees!

Picky eaters: Bumble bees prefer plants with nutrient-rich pollen

March 29, 2019

Bumble bees have discriminating palettes when it comes to their pollen meals, according to researchers at Penn State. The researchers found that bumble bees can detect the nutritional quality of pollen, and that this ability helps them selectively forage among plant species to optimize their diets. “Populations of many bee species are in decline across … More Picky eaters: Bumble bees prefer plants with nutrient-rich pollen

Pollination

March 25, 2019

Ungroomed sites correspond with flower pollen-sacs and stigmas After grooming, bees still have pollen on body parts that match the position of flower pollen-sacs and stigmas, according to a study published September 6, 2017 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Petra Wester from Heinrich-Heine-University, Germany, and colleagues. Flowers depend on pollen for pollination, and flower-visiting bees … More Pollination

Bee diversity and richness decline as anthropogenic activity increases, scientists confirm

March 24, 2019

Changes in land use negatively affect bee species richness and diversity, and cause major shifts in species composition, reports a recent study of native wild bees, conducted at the Sierra de Quila Flora and Fauna Protection Area and its influence zone in Mexico. Having registered a total of 14,054 individual bees representing 160 species, 52 … More Bee diversity and richness decline as anthropogenic activity increases, scientists confirm

Think about bees, say researchers, as Grand-Staircase Escalante National Monument Shrinks

March 17, 2019

Monument’s original boundaries are a hotspot of pollinator biodiversity. The state of Utah’s nickname is “The Beehive State,” and the moniker couldn’t be more apt, say Utah State University scientists. One out of every four bee species in the United States is found In Utah and the arid, western state is home to more bee … More Think about bees, say researchers, as Grand-Staircase Escalante National Monument Shrinks