Articles tagged with Bees
Researchers at University of New Hampshire found 14 wild bee species declining in the Northeast, including ground nesters and cavity nesters, with significant shifts in elevation and latitude. Climate change is affecting certain populations, particularly in coastal areas.
The article presents science-based guidelines for creating a bee-friendly landscape, highlighting the importance of native plants and diverse flower forms. Key findings include non-native plants extending the flowering season and pest-free plants attracting beneficial bees.
A study by Lerman and D'Amico found that less frequent lawn mowing in suburban areas has no detectable effect on blacklegged tick populations. In fact, the researchers documented 111 bee species across 16 lawns, highlighting a viable habitat for native bees.
A two-year study found that wild bees thrive in areas with moderate to severe forest fires, which creates a favorable environment for their survival. The researchers detected a significant increase in bee populations and diversity in these zones, highlighting the importance of fire severity as a predictor of bee habitat.
Virginia Tech researchers Margaret Couvillon and Roger Schürch have decoded the universal language of honey bees, allowing scientists to interpret the insects' sophisticated communications. By deciphering waggle dances, they hope to better understand pollinators' preferred forages and food sources.
Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology developed a novel adhesive inspired by the natural mixture of bee spit and flower oil, which shows unique properties in resisting changes in humidity. The glue works similarly to a layer of cooking oil covering syrup, slowing down drying considerably.
A new study reveals that one-third of pollinator species have declined in distribution across Great Britain, while others remain stable or show inconclusive trends. However, an unexpected positive finding is the increase in key bee species responsible for pollinating flowering crops.
Researchers used CRISPR/Cas9 to selectively shut off a gene for female development, finding that diet has no effect on gonad size when the gene is turned off. This suggests that a specific genetic program must be switched on to permit nutrient level to affect gonad size.
Scientists discovered queen bumblebees spend most of their time hiding, resting and making short flights after hibernation. This behaviour helps them disperse far from their natal nest, with researchers suggesting creating pollinator-friendly corridors can aid in their survival.
Researchers found that honey bee colonies foraging on land with a strong cover of clover species and alfalfa do significantly better than those in crop fields. Higher levels of vitellogenin stores are associated with increased colony size, antioxidant enzymes, and disease resistance.
Researchers from Virginia Tech and Eastern Washington University are collaborating on a $958,415 NSF grant to study the critical role of the honey bee gut microbiome in health and defense against parasites. The team aims to develop a network of genes from the parasite, microbiome, and host to determine their interactions with each other.
Researchers found that chronic exposure to realistic soil concentrations of imidacloprid affects solitary bees' mass, immature development speed, and adult longevity. Ground-nesting bee species are more susceptible to pesticide effects due to their smaller nest sizes and prolonged underground stays.
Research reveals that supporting local communities with cultural, spiritual, and economic connections to pollinators is key to effective conservation. The study suggests that policies like biocultural conservation can foster pollinator protection and sustainable management of resources.
Researchers observed Ceratina nigrolabiata bees employing biparental care and social monogamy to safeguard offspring. This unconventional approach allows for increased protection of offspring, benefiting male bees by enhancing their mating prospects.
Researchers analyzed honey from urban beehives to detect pollutants like lead and zinc. The study found higher element concentrations near downtown areas with heavy traffic and industrial activity, suggesting potential manmade sources of pollution.
Wild bees experiencing widespread declines due to urbanization may be more male-dominated as females decline in numbers, impacting pollination and reproduction rates. This study suggests considering sex-specific differences in bee behavior when analyzing environmental change effects on populations.
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis discovered that honey bees produce distinct cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles based on age, which affects their social recognition and interaction with other bees within the colony. This study sheds light on the complex mechanisms of nestmate recognition in social insects.
Researchers found that bee colonies are more successful collecting food without waggle dance, suggesting the environment plays a key role. Bees were more active and produced more honey when deprived of dance language.
A team of international scientists and conservationists has successfully rediscovered the world's largest bee, Wallace's giant bee. The species was lost to science since 1981 but has been found in Indonesia, where it is threatened by forest destruction.
Honey bees are outcompeting native pollinators for access to pollen and nectar in San Diego's natural habitats. The study found that honey bees account for more than 90 percent of pollinators observed visiting flowers on the most abundantly flowering native plant species.
Harvard scientists develop a framework explaining how bees use environmental signals to collectively cluster and ventilate their hive. They found that individual bees respond to temperature variations, and the physics of fluid flow leads to efficient cooling solutions.
Researchers from Aarhus University discovered that insects leave tiny DNA traces on flowers they visit, revealing at least 135 different species of butterflies and insects. This eDNA method holds vast potential for tracking endangered pollinators and managing unwanted pest species.
Research suggests that bees' dispersal ability influences their population genetic structure, which can impact their response to environmental changes. Larger-bodied bees with social behaviors exhibit lower genetic diversity than smaller-bodied solitary species.
Researchers found that bees can recognize colors as symbolic representations for basic math operations and use this information to solve problems. The study suggests that advanced numerical cognition may be found widely in nature among non-human animals.
New research identifies insecticide combinations that are lethal to honeybees and their larvae, leading to a recommendation to stop using these chemicals during almond bloom. The study's findings have already led to changes in industry practices, with many growers backing off insecticide use.
A new study published in PNAS shows that Varroa mites do not feed on honey bee blood, but rather on the fat body tissue. This discovery has significant implications for controlling the pest and could lead to more effective pesticides and treatments.
A study by Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg found that a single gene enables worker bees to produce female offspring, leading to the colony's takeover. This phenomenon, known as thelytoky, is a dominant genetic trait that allows these 'false queens' to reproduce and invade other colonies.
A decade-long analysis of bee activity in New York apple orchards reveals decreased pollination services with agricultural activity; Phylogenetic diversity is a better gauge of pollinator services than standard approaches.
Researchers at Utah State University and USDA report 450 native bee species in California's Pinnacles National Park, including 48 new to the area since 2002. The park is now recognized as a national biodiversity hotspot for bees.
A new study by Cornell University researchers found that orchards surrounded by natural habitats draw a broader selection of bee species, leading to improved apple production. This is because bees from different species exhibit unique behaviors when pollinating flowers, affecting fruit development and quality.
Researchers challenge long-standing assumption about varroa mites' diet; find they feed on fat body tissue, essential to honey bees' survival. This discovery could lead to more effective mite treatments and improved bee nutrition.
Researchers discovered that viruses associated with the varroa mite have spilled over into the western yellowjacket, a honeybee predator, causing a change in genetic diversity. This finding suggests that introducing non-native species can have far-reaching effects on ecosystems.
Researchers found a single gene mutation responsible for thelytoky syndrome, a phenomenon where worker bees ignore queen orders and reproduce on their own. The dominant Thelytoky (Th) gene requires only one copy to express selfish behavior, but its partner gene is necessary for fertility.
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London discovered that bees can solve simple counting tasks with minimal brainpower, using a miniature 'brain' with just four nerve cells. This finding suggests that intelligence and cognitive abilities do not require large brains, but rather efficient algorithms and specific strategies.
The small hive beetle's genome has been published, providing crucial keys for better control methods, including insecticidal treatments and genetic solutions. The SHB has a strong gene-guided system that detoxifies many insecticides, allowing researchers to target specific pathways for effective control.
Engineers at the University of Washington have developed a sensing system that can ride on top of a bumblebee, allowing for long-term data collection without power constraints. The system uses a tiny rechargeable battery and a receiver to triangulate the bee's position, enabling precise location tracking.
New studies suggest that current pesticide regulations fail to account for potential health threats to non-honeybee bee species, which are equally important pollinators. Researchers are calling for more diverse models, such as solitary bees and bumblebees, to be included in risk assessments.
Researchers examine data on 660 bee species found within the monument's original boundaries, which is still home to 87% of these pollinators. The reduction in protected areas threatens 'edge' populations that could be first to go extinct due to climate change.
Researchers identify fipronil as a potential cause of mass honey bee mortalities in France in the 1990s. Laboratory studies and modeling simulations suggest that fipronil, not imidacloprid, was more likely involved in colony collapse due to toxic bioaccumulation.
Scientists have created a lab-based method to monitor honey bee queen fertility, revealing the impact of worker nutrition on queen egg laying. The study found that worker bees fed with pollen paste resulted in slower egg laying rates for queens compared to those fed with bee bread.
A novel scale-free mechanism guides the search of an artificial bee colony algorithm, improving its exploitation ability and maintaining population diversity. This enables a better balance between exploration and exploitation, leading to enhanced search ability in real-world optimization problems.
A study led by University of Vermont scientists reveals that wild bees are essential for larger and better blueberry yields, providing major benefits including greater berry size, quantity and earlier harvests. Maintaining natural bee habitat and reducing pesticide use can help protect wild bees.
Researchers mapped bee colonies' entire genetic make-up to identify emerging diseases threatening native populations. The study found that native bees may survive better in cooler climates than southern European relatives.
Researchers found that bees' speed decreases when entering a turn and increases when exiting, allowing them to maintain constant centripetal acceleration. Bees manage their speed to reduce 'sideslips' caused by excess centrifugal force, making turns with sharp forces more manageable.
Exposure to neonicotinoids like imidacloprid disrupts bee colony growth by reducing worker activity, feeding and larval care. This results in impaired thermoregulation, increased mortality and reduced colony sizes.
During the 2017 total solar eclipse, researchers captured a surprising phenomenon: bees stopped buzzing as Earth fell into complete darkness. The study, led by Candace Galen at the University of Missouri, found that bees did not use the unusual darkness as a cue for night and instead flew during periods of reduced light.
A new study led by James Crall at Harvard University found that exposure to neonicotinoid pesticides has profound effects on a host of social behaviors in bees, including reduced nursing of larvae and decreased social interaction. The study also showed that pesticides impair bees' ability to regulate temperatures inside the nest.
The study reveals that nearly half of Utah's bee species dwell within the monument's original boundaries, with over 660 species identified. This hotspot of bee diversity is attributed to the presence of 87% of Utah's flowering plant species within the monument's boundaries.
A recent study of native wild bees in Mexico's tropical dry forest found that preserved vegetation areas support significantly greater bee richness and diversity. Urbanization and agriculture lead to major shifts in species composition, threatening local extinctions.
Scientists have discovered intricate glycan structures in royal jelly, a substance believed to influence honeybee development. These findings challenge previous assumptions and may lead to a deeper understanding of the complex interactions between glycosylated proteins and signaling pathways.
A new study suggests up to 13% of US beekeepers are in danger of losing their colonies due to pesticides sprayed to contain the Zika virus. The researchers calculated the percentage of colonies that could be affected by comparing data on bee densities with areas at risk from Zika.
Research finds that bigger stingless bee species can fly better in high-temperature conditions than smaller counterparts. This contradicts the well-established temperature-size rule, which predicts that ectotherms should be larger in cold climates and smaller in hot ones.
Researchers found nearly 200 gene variations linked to social behavior in sweat bees, including 21 clustered near genes implicated in human autism. The study suggests a core set of genes play an important role in shaping social behavior across species.
Researchers found that queens and males are greatly affected by low-dose neonicotinoid pesticide exposure, threatening the stability and survival of wild bee populations. The study also reveals that exposure alters genes regulating biological functions such as locomotion, reproduction, immunity, and learning and memory.
Researchers monitored bee activity during the 2017 total solar eclipse and found that bees ceased flying during totality. The study, supported by a grant from the American Astronomical Society, engaged over 400 participants in setting up acoustic monitoring stations across the US.
Researchers found that wasp and bee stingers are softer at the tip than at the base, allowing for easier penetration. The study also showed that the stingers are about seven times more elastic at the tip than at the base, enabling them to penetrate deep while maintaining their structure.
A mushroom extract fed to honey bees greatly reduces virus levels, with a 79-fold reduction in deformed wing virus and a 45,000-fold reduction in Lake Sinai virus. The research shows promise for treating varroa mite-borne viruses and improving bee health.
Researchers at Hokkaido University discovered that social behavior in eusocial species like sweat bees is more attributed to cooperative behavior than genetic similarity. This finding challenges previous theories and suggests that the benefit of grouping is a key factor in the evolution of cooperation, including among humans.
A new UMass Amherst study found that eating sunflower pollen dramatically reduced a protozoan pathogen infection in bumble bees. The researchers also discovered that incorporating sunflowers into pollinator gardens could provide a simple solution to improve the health of economically and ecologically important pollinators.
A study by North Carolina State University found that sunflower pollen reduces infection rates in bees and improves colony health. However, it also had a deleterious effect on honey bees, leading to higher mortality rates compared to other diets.