Researchers found that adults rely on novel genes---called taxonomically restricted genes (TRGs)--found in honeybees to develop new traits. These genes are often expressed at high levels in specific tissues and provide specialized work for adult organisms, supporting the evolution of novel physiological traits.
Scientists at Brigham Young University have developed a natural treatment using phages to protect baby bees from American Foulbrood, a deadly disease that kills off larvae and leads to hive collapse. The researchers identified five phage candidates for honeybee treatment, providing a potential alternative to antibiotics.
The Entomological Society of America has awarded ten graduate students with AFRI travel grants to attend Entomology 2014 in Portland, Oregon. The winners include Heather Connelly, Adam Dale, Carrie Deans, and Michael Garvey, who will receive funding for research opportunities, presentations, and networking.
The 2014 ESA awards honored Dr. John C. Palumbo for his translational research and outreach program, providing innovative insect management solutions in desert vegetable crops. Dr. Peter C. Ellsworth received the Award for Excellence in Integrated Pest Management for his work on IPM science-based solutions and cotton agroecosystem rese...
Researchers identified lactic acid bacteria in honey that effectively counteracted severe human wound pathogens and persistent horse wounds. The bacteria produce a broad spectrum of antimicrobial compounds as needed, depending on the threat.
Researchers found that Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) is the most affected virus species by Varroa infestation, while Kashmir Bee Virus (KBV) peaks two years after initial infestation and disappears. The study highlights the importance of beekeeper awareness, mite monitoring, and efficient Varroa control.
The study found that fipronil and imidacloprid inhibit mitochondrial bioenergetics in honeybees, leading to depleted cell energy and impaired flight muscles. This effect can contribute to the inability of bees to forage and return to their hives.
Researchers have discovered that interfering with a basic metabolic pathway in insect brains can increase aggression in fruit flies and honey bees. The team found that suppressing key genes involved in energy generation leads to increased aggression, but this effect is lost in chronically stressed individuals.
Bumblebees can form associative relationships between floral features and pollen quality, allowing them to quickly select the best flowers for food. This ability enables bees to efficiently find nutritious pollen, crucial for rearing their young, by recognizing color cues on petals.
Researchers tracked hundreds of honey bees using RFID tags, discovering that some foraging bees are much busier than others. When these busy bees disappear, others take their place, forming a 'reserve force'. The study, published in Animal Behaviour, sheds light on hive dynamics and the role of individual variation.
Researchers tracked changes in gene activity when Western honey bees eat different diets, finding significant differences between those eating honey and those consuming sucrose or high-fructose corn syrup. Gene expression changes support the potential role of diet in maintaining bee health.
Researchers found that bee tongues can be predicted by body size and taxonomic relationships, providing a valuable proxy for ecology studies. The study highlights the importance of tongue length in understanding species behavior, resilience, and invasiveness.
Research by Aarhus University scientists reveals that locally adapted honey bees are better equipped to handle environmental challenges and produce more honey. The study found that colonies with local queen strains lived 83 days longer than those with foreign queens, suggesting a critical role for genetic adaptation in bee survival.
A study published in Functional Ecology found that long-term pesticide exposure hampers bumblebees' ability to collect pollen. Bees exposed to neonicotinoid pesticides became less successful at collecting pollen and developed different flower preferences over time.
Some bees in Brazil use loud signals to deter competitors, a counterintuitive strategy that's successful in warding off rivals. This study reveals how eavesdropping can influence the evolution of animal communication signals.
Researchers found that birds consume the male reproductive organs while visiting Axinaea flowers, which are attracted by sugar-rich stamen-appendages. This unique mechanism involves a complex 'bellows' organ for pollen dispersal and differs from known bird pollination systems.
Researchers found that bumblebees can differentiate between rewarding and aversive artificial flowers based on their polarization patterns. The bees' ability to recognize these patterns helps them identify suitable flowers for obtaining a food reward.
A recent study found that tree bumblebee queens from Europe outcompeted native bees in the UK by resisting a parasite infection. Despite low genetic diversity and high levels of nematode parasites, 25% of queens produced offspring.
Researchers analyzed honeybee waggle dances to evaluate EU agri-environment schemes, finding they benefit bees. The study used a novel source of data to monitor large land areas and provide information on landscape quality.
The first termite genome has been published, revealing new insights into the molecular underpinning of complex societies in termites. The study found expanded gene families involved in spermatogenesis and a different repertoire of chemoreceptor genes compared to other insect genomes.
Research from North Carolina State University found that more diverse bee species improve blueberry yield by $311 per acre, with a total value of $1.42 million annually. The study suggests that differences in weather tolerance among bee groups contribute to this benefit.
A new study found that low doses of two widely used neonicotinoid insecticides significantly harm honey bee colonies during colder winters. The research suggests that the pesticides impair bees' neurological functions, leading to Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).
Researchers discovered that a subset of immune cells called Th22 acts as a tumor helper, supporting colon cancer cells in renewing and developing stem cell properties. The study suggests targeting the pathway involving epigenetic factor DOT1L to potentially treat colon cancer.
New Jersey Institute of Technology researchers are investigating how climate change may disrupt the vital relationship between bees and plants, which could lead to poor crop pollination and lower yields. The study, supported by a $150,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, aims to understand how temperature changes may affect ...
Researchers found that the amounts of certain neuropeptides in bees' brains vary by time and location, mirroring their changing roles. The study suggests that these peptides have functions related to age-related division of labor in honeybees.
In a rare observation, butterflies and bees were seen drinking the tears of a spectacled caiman in northeastern Costa Rica. Researchers have found that this behavior is more common than previously thought, with many instances recorded by wildlife enthusiasts and scientists.
Researchers found East African honeybees resistant to invasive parasites, but preliminary data suggests habitat loss and drought may be major factors driving colony declines. The study recommends protecting nesting habitats and native flowering plants to maintain healthy bee populations.
Fossil leafcutter bee nest cells containing pupae provide insights into the paleoenvironment of the Late Pleistocene. The study suggests a moderately moist environment with a nearby wooded area and stream or river.
Researchers will investigate a gut parasite that negatively impacts honey bees, analyze pesticide effects, and model ecosystem stability in response to extinctions and invasions.
Michigan State University researchers found that attracting wild bees to farms can increase yields by 10-20 percent and boost revenue. The study showed that adding habitat for wild bees can improve pollination in nearby crop fields and is an insurance policy against poor pollination.
A new study reveals that UK gardens with diverse global plant species support a range of pollinating insects, including threatened bumblebees. The research found that long-tongued bees prefer plants from the UK and Europe, while other species visit plants in proportion to flower availability.
A Cornell University study found that neotropical orchid bees' habitats could be reduced by 30-50% due to future dry climate changes. However, male orchid bees' mobility allows them to maintain connectivity and healthy bee populations.
Bumblebees demonstrate remarkable learning feats, including solving increasingly complex problems and sharing knowledge through social learning. Experienced bees can solve new problems, while inexperienced ones give up, showcasing scaffold learning.
A new computer model, BEEHAVE, simulates the life of a honey bee colony over several years, investigating the losses of honeybee colonies and identifying key factors affecting their health. The model shows that food availability, mite infestation, and disease are critical to maintaining healthy hives.
Research finds that common honeybee diseases can infect and spread to wild bumblebees, potentially causing decline. The study suggests that managing honeybees is crucial for supporting wild bee populations and reducing the impact of emerging diseases.
Two solitary bee species use plastic materials to construct nests, replacing traditional plant-based building materials. The discovery suggests innovative use of common urban waste and potential benefits for parasite resistance.
A study reveals that long-term declines in honey bee colonies are attributed to economic and political pressures, as well as pests, pathogens, and poor management practices. The research also highlights the importance of standardized data collection and further research into the impact of agricultural intensification on this species.
A recent study reveals the unique way honeybees process information from both front tarsi to decide whether to feed, highlighting the importance of their sense of taste in finding nectar and pollen. The sensitivity of their claws and tarsomeres plays a crucial role in detecting sweet and salty substances.
Research found that organic farms supported 34% more plant, insect, and animal species than conventional farms. This effect has remained stable over time and shows no signs of decreasing.
Researchers identified a single gene, Ultrabithorax (Ubx), responsible for leg and wing development in honeybees. Ubx represses the development of bristles on hind legs, creating a smooth surface for packing pollen, which is absent in queens.
Researchers have identified a single gene, Ultrabithorax (Ubx), that determines the distinct leg features of worker honey bees, enabling them to collect and transport pollen. The gene plays a critical role in the evolution of social behavior among honey bees, separating queens from workers.
Four common pesticides commonly used on crops to kill insects and fungi also kill honeybee larvae within their hives. The team found that mixtures of pesticides can have greater consequences for larval toxicity than individual pesticides, with chlorothalonil being the most toxic.
Researchers detect Tobacco Ringspot Virus in honeybees, suggesting a link to their decline. The study reveals that infected bees can transmit the virus to each other and even their queen mother.
A new study by Royal Holloway University of London found that prolonged exposure to a widely used pesticide causes smaller worker bees. The research revealed that the pesticide reduces the size of individual bees produced by a colony, potentially impacting colony success.
A new study found that queen pheromones in wasps, ants, and some bees have a strikingly similar chemical structure, despite millions of years of evolution. The researchers suggest that these signals evolved from conserved cues used by solitary ancestors.
Research reveals that five amino acid differences control allelic variations in the csd gene, determining femaleness in honeybees. The study found an evolutionary intermediate with only three amino acid differences between lethality and induced femaleness, supporting incomplete penetrance as a mechanism for gradual molecular evolution.
A new set of guidelines assesses pollinator performance using four metrics: single-visit efficiency, abundance, inclement weather behavior, and visitation rate. Small native bees are found to be highly efficient pollinators despite low abundance.
New fossils support Andrey Martynov's theory that wasps emerged from snakefly-like ancestors around 260-270 million years ago. The study also identifies the origins of alderfly and nanosialid families.
Chris Martine's discovery of a new wild eggplant species in Australia has shed light on the plant's unique reproductive strategy. The female plant produces male pollen, tricking bees into visiting its flowers, and Martine hopes to study this phenomenon further.
Researchers from Monash University and RMIT University found that Himalayan flowers evolved to attract bees as pollinators in response to bee colour vision. The study reveals the impact of climate change on plant-pollinator interactions in mountainous environments.
Female ants and bees are more inclined to care for the queen's offspring due to their maternal behaviors preserved through evolution. This study reveals that females take on jobs suited historically, leading to the evolution of species with female-dominated caregiving roles.
Researchers found that queen bees signal detailed information about their mating state and reproductive quality to workers, influencing colony dynamics. This honest communication may help explain the rapid rates of queen loss and turnover reported by beekeepers.
A new study reveals that die-hard Oregon State Beavers fans reject ads from rival team Oregon Ducks, even if the ad is compelling. Highly identified fans are most affected by this bias, prioritizing their team loyalty over advertising messages.
A new study reveals that the honey bee sex determiner gene has 87-145 alleles, a significant increase in genetic diversity compared to previous estimates of 20 alleles. This discovery is crucial for apiculture, as it helps minimize the risk of inbreeding and produces diploid drones.
Researchers track drug resistance against flu viruses using extensive database analysis, finding most mutations are on the wane. Honeybees' genetic control behind sex determination studied, revealing 116-145 csd alleles worldwide and a novel function arising every 400,000 years.
A recent study found that the invasive creeping daisy attracts and augments local populations of pollinating insects, including the native bee Braunsapis puangensis. This association has positive implications for crop growers and commercial honey producers in Fiji.
New studies suggest that immune response to bee venom and other allergens evolved as a defense mechanism, triggering reactions like sneezing and itching. Researchers found that mice developed resistance to deadly doses of venom after exposure to PLA2, an enzyme in bee venom.
Researchers discovered that a lack of information about kinship can lead to increased cooperation and reduced conflict within groups. This phenomenon, known as the veil of ignorance, is observed in both social insects and genes, suggesting its evolutionary advantages.
Scientists have documented a widespread extinction of bees that occurred 65 million years ago, concurrent with the mass extinction that wiped out land dinosaurs and many flowering plants. The findings shed light on the current decline in bee species and could provide insight into their current struggle.
Scientists used state-of-the-art genome sequencing and bioinformatics to resolve the long-standing question of ants' evolutionary relationships. The study found that ants are more closely related to bees than to most wasps, with ants forming a sister group to the Apoidea family within Hymenoptera.