Pesticides, which are sprayed in the amounts of billions of pounds per year, have been making a lot of noise lately. This is because multiple published studies, and hundreds of scientists all over the world have identified (without a doubt) them as a catalyst for multiple major human health ailments, including cancer, Parkinson’s & Alzheimer’s … More New Harvard Study Measures Pesticide Accumulation In Bee Hive Honey: Alarming Results

Why eat nasty things? Because your enemy finds it even nastier Solitary mason bees specializing on sunflower pollen were not attacked by a common brood-parasitic wasp, which lays eggs in the nests, where its larvae kill bee eggs and eat their pollen provisions.   A Sapyga wasp lurking at the entrance of a mason bee … More Sunflower pollen protects bees from parasites

The declines of honey bees and other pollinators have been at the forefront of recent scientific publications and popular press. Accumulating evidence suggests that no single stressor alone is responsible for declines. Rather, it is probably a combination of abiotic and biotic factors acting in synchrony, to have a negative impact on pollinator populations. Pesticides … More Pollinator exposure to neonicotinoid and other insecticides results in population decline of the bees

New insights into the reproductive secrets of one of the world’s tiniest and most destructive parasites — the Varroa mite — has scientists edging closer to regulating them. The new research explores the fertility of the notorious mite, a pest that is devastating honeybee populations worldwide. Varroa mites feed on a honeybee larva. New MSU … More Bee vampire picks the right host to suck

Although more than 1,000 new beekeepers have registered in Pennsylvania since 2014, it is unclear how big a contribution they are making. By Aidan Quigley   Can backyard beekeepers help stem the losses from colony collapse disorder? Maybe, say experts. In Pennsylvania, more than 1,000 new beekeepers have registered since 2014, increasing the number of beekeepers … More Can ‘backyard beekeepers’ solve the bee crisis?

Most bees and wasps hibernate during the colder months. In many species, only the queen survives the winter, emerging in spring to reestablish a colony. But honey bees remain active all winter long, despite the freezing temperatures and lack of flowers on which to forage. The honey bee colony’s ability to survive the winter depends … More How Honey Bees Keep Warm in Winter

No other insect has served the needs of man like the honey bee. For centuries, beekeepers have raised honey bees, harvesting the sweet honey they produce and relying on them to pollinate crops. Honey bees pollinate an estimated one-third of all the food crops we consume. Here are 10 facts about honey bees you might … More 10 Fascinating Facts About Honey Bees

Honey bees use their stores of energy-rich honey to get them through lean times, including winter. Worker bees gather nectar from flowers and convert it into enough honey to keep the colony alive. How do bees make honey from nectar? Answer: Nectar contains about 80% water, along with complex sugars. Left in its natural state, … More How do bees make honey