Tag: honey

To save honey bees, human behavior must change

May 12, 2017

Poor management practices have enabled spread of bee pathogens, bee researcher argues In the search for answers to the complex health problems and colony losses experienced by honey bees in recent years, it may be time for professionals and hobbyists in the beekeeping industry to look in the mirror. In a research essay to be … More To save honey bees, human behavior must change

Scientists track gene activity when honey bees do and don’t eat honey: Significant differences depending on diet

May 8, 2017

Many beekeepers feed their honey bees sucrose or high-fructose corn syrup when times are lean inside the hive. This practice has come under scrutiny, however, in response to colony collapse disorder, the massive — and as yet not fully explained — annual die-off of honey bees in the U.S. and Europe. Some suspect that inadequate … More Scientists track gene activity when honey bees do and don’t eat honey: Significant differences depending on diet

The weaker sex: Male honey bees more susceptible than females to widespread intestinal parasite

May 6, 2017

A research team has found that male European honey bees, or drones, are much more susceptible than female European honey bees, known as workers, to a fungal intestinal parasite called Nosema ceranae. Originally from Asia, Nosema ceranae has rapidly spread throughout the world, and may contribute to the high number of colony deaths now observed … More The weaker sex: Male honey bees more susceptible than females to widespread intestinal parasite

Ball-rolling bees reveal complex learning

March 28, 2017

Bumblebees can be trained to score goals using a mini-ball, revealing unprecedented learning abilities, according to scientists at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). Their study, published in the journal Science, suggests that species whose lifestyle demands advanced learning abilities could learn entirely new behaviours if there is ecological pressure. Project supervisor and co-author Professor … More Ball-rolling bees reveal complex learning

Supporting pollinators could have big payoff for Texas cotton farmers

October 22, 2016

Increasing the diversity of pollinator species can dramatically increase cotton production, according to a new study from the University of Texas at Austin. In South Texas alone, this could boost cotton production by up to 18 percent, yielding an increase in annual revenue of more than $1.1 million. Bee hovers over cotton flower in South … More Supporting pollinators could have big payoff for Texas cotton farmers

American beekeepers lost 44 percent of bees in 2015-16

October 9, 2016

American beekeepers lost 44 percent of bees in 2015-16 Summer losses rival winter losses for the second year running United States beekeepers lost 44 percent of their honey bee colonies from April 2015 to April 2016, according to the latest preliminary results of an annual nationwide survey. This is a higher overall loss rate than … More American beekeepers lost 44 percent of bees in 2015-16