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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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 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.
Research found that pesticides can subtly impact individual bees, leading to colony failure. The study provides an important breakthrough in understanding the causes of declining bee populations and offers insights for policymakers.
A recent study by researchers at the University of California, Riverside found that selenium, a naturally occurring metal, has toxic effects on honey bees. The study reveals that organic forms of selenium alter protein conformation and cause developmental problems, while inorganic forms cause oxidative stress.
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A study found that honey bees fear predators and avoid associated food sources, making colonies more cautious but individual bees more risk-tolerant. This strategy may help bees exploit all available food sources by having some foragers visit danger to allocate the colony's foraging efficiently.
Researchers at the University of Warwick have developed a model of the American foulbrood disease outbreak in Jersey, which helps understand how the disease spreads and simulates various control interventions. The study found that just under half of the infection spread was attributed to transmission by beekeepers between their own hives.
Honeybee decline poses significant threat to US fruit and vegetable production, with estimated annual losses of $15 billion. The cause of colony collapse disorder (CCD) remains unknown, but factors such as pesticides, parasites, and diseases are being investigated.
The University of Strathclyde's research reveals a significant increase in honey bee colony losses in Scotland, with 31.3% of managed colonies failing to survive last winter. The loss rate is almost double the previous year and has major implications for crop pollination and food supply.
A new technique enables scientists to target multiple genes in honey bees via RNA interference, allowing for the examination of insulin metabolism's role in food-related behavior. This breakthrough could provide insight into human dietary behavior and potentially lead to gene control over undesirable food choices.
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Researchers found that common fungicides and insecticides can weaken the immune systems of honey bees, making them more susceptible to infection with a deadly parasite. The study's findings highlight the need for stricter regulations on pesticide use during crop pollination.
Research found that removing even one bumblebee species from an ecosystem significantly reduces pollination effectiveness and plant seed production. The study showed that reduced competition among pollinators disrupts floral fidelity, leading to less successful plant reproduction.
The study found that removing one bumblebee species from an ecosystem reduces floral fidelity among remaining bees, leading to fewer seeds produced by larkspur wildflowers. This suggests global declines in pollinators could have a significant impact on food crops and flowering plants.
A study found that over three-quarters of imported bumblebee colonies tested carried parasites, posing a risk to native bees and honeybees. The researchers argue that producers must improve disease screening and regulatory authorities must strengthen measures to prevent the importation of parasite-carrying colonies.
Researchers found that spider webs are more effective at capturing charged insects, with positively charged insects attracting the negatively charged web. This discovery suggests that electrostatic charges may have driven the evolution of specialized webs.
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Researchers have developed a novel trophallaxis network control method for formation flight of multiple UAVs, which enables efficient information transfer and coordination. The new strategy has the potential to improve the stability and performance of UAV formations in various applications.
A new study by Levente Orbán and Catherine Plowright found that bumblebees prefer radial patterns over concentric patterns when searching for nectar. The researchers tested flower-naive bees using radio-frequency identification technology and video recordings, exposing them to two types of patterns: concentric and radial.
Researchers tracked 80 commercial honey bee colonies over 10 months and found that those with queens who had mated at least seven times were 2.86 times more likely to survive. This suggests that genetic diversity is crucial for the survival of honey bee colonies.
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A team of scientists is investigating the potential of wild bumble bees as a supplementary workforce to honey bees in improving crop pollination. They aim to increase wild bumble bee populations, which could complement the work of honey bees and address declining wild honey bee populations.
Researchers at ETH Zurich found that coffee farmers in southern India can increase yields independently of bees, through irrigation, liming, and agroforestry practices. The study's findings challenge the idea that pollinators are essential for coffee production, highlighting the importance of alternative factors.
Researchers have identified a key gene in honey bees that enables them to learn and remember how to find food and navigate back to the hive. The Egr gene plays a crucial role in learning and novelty detection in both humans and insects.
A new study by researchers at the University of Leeds and Naturalis Biodiversity Centre found evidence of slowing declines in bee biodiversity between the 1950s and 1980s. The study suggests that conservation efforts, such as agri-environment programs, may be having an impact on reducing biodiversity losses among bees and wild plants.
A new study found that certain compounds in honey, including p-coumaric acid and propolis, can stimulate the expression of detoxification genes and immunity genes in honey bees. This suggests that a diet rich in these substances may help protect against pesticide exposure and other threats.
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In a study of the I Love Bees game, researchers discovered that players formed teams and adopted a military-like leadership hierarchy, suggesting that game designers should not over-design leadership structures. The findings highlight the power of games to inspire collaboration and teamwork.
A new species of leafcutter bee, Megachile chomskyi, has been found in Texas. The species is known for its narrow preference for specific pollen sources, particularly the Evening-Primrose Family. Its unique characteristics include an elongated tongue and mandible structure.
Bees copy each other when looking for nectar by watching colour patterns and learning from others' behaviour. This simple logic helps them avoid bitter-tasting flowers and optimise their search for energy-rich nectar.
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Research at the University of Pittsburgh found that bumblebees can taste and discriminate against certain metals like nickel but are more tolerant of aluminum, which may pose a risk to their health
Researchers found that exposure to combined pesticides interferes with the learning circuits in bees' brains, causing slower learning or forgetting important associations. This has profound implications for honeybee colony survival as bees unable to learn will not be able to find food.
Researchers found that social bees use chemical signals to mark flowers where they've been attacked, while solitary bees do not. The study suggests a link between sociability and the evolution of warning signals in bees.
Scientists have shown that caffeine enhances a honeybee's memory of floral traits, allowing them to remember flowers better. This discovery could lead to improved pollination and plant recruitment.
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A new study reveals slight declines in bee species in the northeastern US over a 140-year period, with only three species of bumble bees experiencing rapid population collapse. Other bee species, such as the oil bee, show more gradual declines or increases in proportion.
A new study finds that idiopathic brood disease syndrome is the largest risk factor for predicting honey bee colony death, with a risk factor of 3.2. Queen events are also a significant contributor, with a risk factor of 3.1. The study highlights the need for further research into these health issues.
A study published in Science reveals a significant decline in bee species in West Central Illinois since the late 1800s. Charles Robertson's records from the 19th century provided valuable insights into wild bee interactions, which are still relevant today.
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A large-scale study found that wild insects consistently enhance fruit set for a broad range of crops and agricultural practices on all continents. The researchers concluded that losses of wild insects from agricultural landscapes will likely impact both natural heritage and harvests.
A recent study found that managed honey bees are less successful at pollinating crops than wild insects, highlighting the negative consequences of losing wild insect populations. The research emphasizes the need for integrated management practices to promote long-term agricultural production and enhance global crop yields.
Biologists Tiffany Knight and Laura Burkle studied a historic dataset from Charles Robertson's 19th-century naturalist work, revealing a weakened plant-pollinator network. The study found that half of the bee species associated with flowers had disappeared, pollinators were active before plants bloomed, and pollination services declined.
Researchers discovered that the area has lost many species of bees and flowering plants, but found them surprisingly resilient in the face of warmer temperatures. The study used historical data to examine plant-pollinator interactions and found mismatches between plants and their historic pollinators due to climate change.
Researchers at the University of Bristol discovered that flowers produce electric signals to attract pollinators like bumblebees. These signals can convey information about nectar and pollen reserves, improving flower-pollinator communication.
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According to MIT researchers, human language may have originated in birdsong, combining an expression layer with a lexical layer. This combination triggered the emergence of complex communication patterns, including finite vocabularies and melodic capacity.
A new study published in the Journal of Media Psychology found that sports fans enjoy watching athletic events with high drama and suspense, regardless of the outcome. The researchers discovered that viewers root for heroic athletes and against unfavorable ones, yet report enjoying the game despite the winner.
Research suggests that reducing pavement and increasing natural habitat can improve nesting opportunities for wild bees. Bees will also forage further away from their home nest if the surrounding landscape is less heterogeneous, seeking out species-rich patches.
A simple and cost-effective monitoring system could detect two to five percent annual declines in bee populations with data from about 200 locations over five years. The program is estimated to cost $2 million and has already been used in several countries, providing valuable insights into global pollinator losses.
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Researchers train honey bees to associate textured surfaces with sugar water, allowing them to analyze how antennal movement corresponds to tactile pattern recognition. The study provides insight into the complex behavior of honey bees and their use of active motion for sensory information.
Scientists have identified a 'histone code' in honey bees that helps control cell development and explains why they are sensitive to environmental changes. The discovery may also shed light on how royal jelly affects the sex of honey bee larvae.
A new study by Nayuta Brand and Michel Chapuisat found that queen sweat bees restrict the amount of food provided to their first brood, resulting in smaller female workers. This 'choosing' behavior ensures that daughters become workers rather than queens.
Researchers discovered that moths use two distinct olfactory channels to navigate their food sources. The first channel governs their innate preferences for certain flowers, while the second allows them to learn about alternate sources of nectar. This study provides insights into how moths survive in changing floral environments.
A study by Menzel and colleagues found that sleep-deprived bees struggled to form new memories, particularly in navigating alternative routes. In contrast, well-rested bees easily learned new routes after being displaced from familiar paths.
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Research found that chronic exposure to two pesticides impaired natural foraging behaviour and increased worker mortality in bumblebee colonies. This led to significant reductions in colony success and increased rates of colony failure.
Research from York University suggests that worker bees' genes are shuffled frequently, allowing natural selection to build a better bee. This genetic 'remix' enables the evolution of charismatic and cooperative behaviors in honey bees.