Category: bees

Pesticide exposure causes bumblebee flight to fall short

July 11, 2019

Bees exposed to a neonicotinoid pesticide fly only a third of the distance that unexposed bees are able to achieve. Flight behaviour is crucial for determining how bees forage, so reduced flight performance from pesticide exposure could lead to colonies going hungry and pollination services being impacted. Foraging bees are essential pollinators for the crops … More Pesticide exposure causes bumblebee flight to fall short

Honey bee parasites, varroa mites, feed on fatty organs, not blood

July 7, 2019

Honey bee colonies around the world are at risk from a variety of threats, including pesticides, diseases, poor nutrition and habitat loss. Recent research suggests that one threat stands well above the others: a parasitic mite, Varroa destructor, which specializes in attacking honey bees. For decades, researchers have assumed that varroa mites feed on blood, like … More Honey bee parasites, varroa mites, feed on fatty organs, not blood

With flower preferences, bees have a big gap between the sexes

June 30, 2019

Scores of wild bee species, females and males, visit very different flowers for food — a discovery that could be important for conservation efforts, according to Rutgers-led research. Indeed, the diets of female and male bees of the same species could be as different as the diets of different bee species, according to a study … More With flower preferences, bees have a big gap between the sexes

Microscopy research helps unravel the workings of a major honey bee pest

June 21, 2019

Varroa mites do not feed on bee blood (hemolymph fluid) Research by scientists at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and the University of Maryland released today sheds new light — and reverses decades of scientific dogma — regarding a honey bee pest (Varroa destructor) that is considered the greatest single driver of the global honey … More Microscopy research helps unravel the workings of a major honey bee pest

As bumblebee diets narrow, ours could too

June 16, 2019

Fewer plants cause developmental delays for prolific produce pollinators. A new study reveals the loss of plant diversity harms the humble bumblebee at a critical stage in its development from egg to adult. There has been a lot of buzz about honeybees’ failing health because they pollinate our produce. Less well known is how critical … More As bumblebee diets narrow, ours could too

Massive Loss Of Thousands Of Hives Afflicts Orchard Growers And Beekeepers

June 11, 2019

Almond bloom comes nearly all at once in California — a flush of delicate pale blooms that unfold around Valentine’s Day. And beekeeper Bret Adee is hustling to get his hives ready, working through them on a Central Valley ranch before placing them in orchards. He deftly tap-taps open a hive. “We’re gonna open this … More Massive Loss Of Thousands Of Hives Afflicts Orchard Growers And Beekeepers

On Monsanto

June 4, 2019

Marc Steiner: The world’s biggest chemical company is not only responsible for killing off our bees, its killing off people, as well, and the predatory, profit-driven organization is using rogue science to try and hoodwink the public into agreeing with them. The giant biotech agribusiness chemical company , recently merged with Bayer, is, of course, Monsanto, … More On Monsanto

Tips to Create a Pollinator Friendly Garden

May 30, 2019

Want to create pollinator habitat in your neighbourhood? Plant native: Choose native plants, trees and shrubs rich in pollen and nectar. Locally grown and pesticide free are best. Provide continuous bloom: Pollinators need a continuous source of pollen and nectar so select a variety of plants that will bloom from spring to fall. Mass plantings: Planting multiples of … More Tips to Create a Pollinator Friendly Garden

Wild Bee ID

May 27, 2019

Today, we’re thrilled to launch Wild Bee ID — a groundbreaking new website and app available on iPhones and Androids to help you protect our rapidly-dwindling pollinator populations right in your own backyard. Wild Bee ID identifies wild bees native to North America with striking photographs, the scientific and common names of the bee, where they’re typically found, what behaviors they exhibit, and which … More Wild Bee ID