Tag: #Bumblebees

Big bumble bees learn locations of best flowers, new research shows.

February 9, 2021

Meanwhile smaller bumblebees — which have a shorter flight range and less carrying capacity — don’t pay special attention to flowers with the richest nectar. University of Exeter scientists examined the “learning flights” which most bees perform after leaving flowers. Honeybees are known to perform such flights — and the study shows bumblebees do the … More Big bumble bees learn locations of best flowers, new research shows.

Does city life make bumble bees larger?

January 16, 2021

Does urbanisation drive bumblebee evolution? A new study by Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig provides an initial indication of this. According to the study, bumblebees are larger in cities and, therefore, more productive than their rural counterparts. In Evolutionary Applications, the research team reports that differences … More Does city life make bumble bees larger?

Tom Kruesel writes in: “As an urban beekeeper,

January 9, 2021

Tom Kruesel writes in: “As an urban beekeeper, I can see some validity in the concern over competition between honeybees and native bees and wasps. (Many of which are also pollinators.) However, my personal experience has been the exact opposite. When I started keeping bees, I also started planting massive amounts of flowers in my yard and on the city boulevard. … More Tom Kruesel writes in: “As an urban beekeeper,

Honeybees infect wild bumblebees through shared flowers. Domestic beehives linked to spike in viral infections in nearby bumblebee populations.

December 3, 2020

Many species of wild bumblebees are in decline — and new research shows that diseases spread by domestic honeybees may be a major culprit. Several of the viruses associated with bumblebees’ trouble are moving from managed bees in apiaries to nearby populations of wild bumblebees — “and we show this spillover is likely occurring through … More Honeybees infect wild bumblebees through shared flowers. Domestic beehives linked to spike in viral infections in nearby bumblebee populations.

Pesticides may cause bumblebees to lose their buzz, study finds.

November 19, 2020

Pesticides significantly reduce the number of pollen grains a bumblebee is able to collect, a new University of Stirling study has found. The research, conducted by a team in the Faculty of Natural Sciences, found that field-realistic doses of a neonicotinoid pesticide affects the behaviour of bees — ultimately interfering with the type of vibrations … More Pesticides may cause bumblebees to lose their buzz, study finds.