Articles tagged with Bees
Scientists tracked 17 iridescent orchid bees using radio transmitters, finding that males spent most of their time in small core areas but could visit farther afield. These long-distance movements help explain why some orchids are rare despite being pollinated by these bees.
Scientists have identified a synergistic relationship between a fungal pathogen and RNA viruses from the family Dicistroviridae as contributing factors to Colony Collapse Disorder. The presence of these pathogens in sick colonies is a strong predictor of collapse, with higher levels of the fungus compromising gut wall integrity.
Researchers discovered a rare species of solitary bee that lines its underground nests with petals from various flowers. This unique behavior provides essential nutrients for the larvae's growth and protects them from the harsh winter conditions.
A recent survey found that managed honey bee colonies nationwide experienced a 33.8% loss rate from October 2009 to April 2010, with starvation, poor weather, and weak colonies being the top reasons for mortality. The continued high losses pose an economic challenge for commercial beekeepers.
Researchers found that paper wasps and honey bees rely on the same network of genes to guide their social behavior, including division of labor and brain activity. The study identified over 4,900 genes active in the wasp brain, confirming a genetic toolkit shared by both species.
Researchers developed a novel hybrid of two orchid species, creating a unique scent that attracted a distinct wild bee. The offspring's floral odor was highly attractive to solitary bees unfamiliar with the parent plants' scent.
Researchers found that bees with artificially reduced insulin receptor substrate (IRS) in abdominal fat cells preferred pollen over nectar. This suggests an alternative mechanism for insulin's impact on eating behavior beyond the brain.
Researchers found that social bee queens have a more developed mushroom body, associated with learning and memory, despite not having bigger brains overall. This suggests that social interactions are cognitively challenging for these bees, as predicted by the social brain hypothesis.
Scientists at the Phyletic Museum of Jena University are using MicroCT imaging to analyze insect genital morphology. The research aims to shed light on the key-lock principle, which explains how male and female reproductive organs fit together, and instead reveals that it's a result of sexual selection.
The buff-tailed bumblebee's unique behavior allows it to collect nectar from exotic winter-flowering plants like strawberry trees and Mahonia, raising an extra generation of workers.
A biologist at UC San Diego discovered a 'stop' signal in honey bee communication that warns nest mates about dangers. The signal reduces recruitment to dangerous food patches and is an example of negative feedback in superorganisms.
Researchers found that bees can learn to recognize the arrangement of human facial features on a face, but not individual humans. The insects use this strategy to distinguish between face-like and non-face patterns.
Researchers discovered bees use their antennae to estimate surface slope, allowing them to orient correctly and land on surfaces ranging from horizontal to ceilings. By slowing down in the final moments before touchdown, bees control their approach and optimize landing speed.
Researchers at Michigan State University have discovered proteins that can channel sodium ions through the cell membranes of Varroa mites, a parasite that devastates commercial bee colonies. This breakthrough could lead to more effective controls and reduce the need for toxic pesticides.
Researchers discovered that high-fructose corn syrup can form a potentially harmful substance called hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) when heated. HMF levels increase steadily with rising temperatures, posing a threat to honey bee health and human consumption of HFCS products.
The NSF's Expeditions in Computing program supports research that promises significant advances in computing while yielding great benefit to society. The new projects focus on energy-efficient computers, customizable domain-specific computing, and robotic 'bees' for search and rescue operations.
A £1 million research project will investigate the decline of honeybees, exploring how disease and food supply affect bee survival in farmed landscapes. The team aims to build a predictive model to improve honeybee health and mitigate the impact on food security.
Africanized bee invasion of Mexico's Yucatan led to a shift in pollination patterns, with native bees benefiting from increased availability of certain plant species. However, native populations in less diverse areas may be more vulnerable to invasions.
Scientists have received £1 million to research the decline of honeybees, focusing on how bees' behavior outside the hive interacts with factors affecting their health. The project aims to build a model that can predict bee responses to diseases in changing farmed landscapes.
Research discovered a conflict between worker bees and the queen, with some workers reproducing and living up to three times longer than non-reproducing workers. This leads to a 'reproductive class war' where individual benefits come at the cost of the colony.
A genomic study has identified a plausible cause of colony collapse disorder in honey bees. The research found that the loss of ribosomal function, caused by viral infections and other stressors, contributes to the mysterious disappearance of American honey bees.
A new study by University of Illinois researchers reveals that environmental factors can alter aggression levels in honey bees. By analyzing gene expression patterns in response to alarm pheromone, the team found similarities between short-term and long-term changes, suggesting a connection between nurture and nature.
Researchers discovered higher levels of pathogens and co-infections in honeybees from collapsing colonies, but no single pathogen can be identified as the cause. The study suggests that CCD may be contagious or caused by exposure to a common risk factor impairing bee immune systems.
Researchers found that foraging honey bees experience decline in associative learning with increasing age, but nurse bees remain unaffected. By switching tasks, foragers' learning performance improves, demonstrating remarkable plasticity in brain circuits.
Researchers have discovered that calcium modulation affects long-term memory specifically while leaving learning and short-term memory intact. The study found that increased calcium levels during learning led to stronger responses to olfactory stimuli associated with food, indicating improved memory performance.
Agricultural Research Service scientists have sequenced the genome of a parasite that can kill honey bees, providing new insights into colony collapse disorder. The microsporidian parasite produces spores that bees consume when foraging, leading to infection and colony loss.
New research shows bees extend hind legs for stability in windy conditions, increasing drag and aerodynamic power by 30%. This behavior is likely seen across Hymenoptera, affecting many flying insects.
Researchers found that bees prefer conical-celled petals with a rough surface, allowing for better grip and easier nectar extraction. This adaptation enables bees to efficiently collect nectar from flowers in windy or wet conditions.
A recent study reveals that honeybee populations are increasing worldwide, contrary to concerns of a 'pollination crisis'. However, the demand for crops relying on insect pollination has more than tripled over the last half century.
Researchers discovered Nosema ceranae, a Microsporidia parasite, is the primary cause of honey bee colony depopulation syndrome in professional apiaries. Treating infected colonies with flumagillin resulted in complete recovery.
Scientists created a mathematical model to study cooperative groups of animals, known as superorganisms, which evolve through two scenarios: closely related individuals or policing-based control. This finding suggests that some animal groups can behave like united organisms.
A three-year study found that wild bees visit more flowers per minute and deposit more pollen than honey bees, making them potential blueberry pollinators. Growers can support natural bee populations by providing nesting materials, such as bamboo or reeds.
A study published in HortScience found that honeybees and bumble bees move in a way that minimizes distance between flowers, which impacts pollination efficiency. The research tracked pollen flow in watermelon plantings, revealing directional movement both down and across rows.
The Sibbett Group's interconnected garden design won the international bee-friendly garden competition from Häagen-Dazs and UC Davis. The garden will provide a year-round food source for honey bees and raise public awareness about their plight, aiming to inspire visitors to plant bee-friendly gardens.
Researchers found that honey bees can reliably distinguish between patterns containing two and three dots, but struggle with four. The bees use a combination of working memory and memory rules to solve the problem. This remarkable cognitive ability challenges traditional views on the numerical competence of insects.
Honeybees can learn to recognise human faces even when seen from different viewpoints due to their ability to interpolate or image average previously learnt views. The study suggests that bee brains have evolved clever mechanisms for problem solving which may help develop improved models for AI face recognition systems.
Researchers found that honeybees danced vigorously in response to cocaine, indicating a potential susceptibility to the substance. The bees' sensitivity to rewards was increased, and they exhibited withdrawal symptoms when the drug was withheld.
Researchers found that honey bees on cocaine exaggerate their dances, regardless of food quality or hive status. The study supports the idea that insects have a reward system motivated by feelings of pleasure.
Researchers found that honeybees reduce plant damage by 60-70% when present, even without pollination, due to the caterpillars' inability to distinguish between bees and predators. This discovery highlights the importance of indirect effects in food webs and may lead to a new biological control method for sustainable agriculture.
The American Society for Cell Biology's Celldance contest reveals visually engaging and scientifically important cell-related content. This year's winners showcase stunning visuals of cellular processes, including Golgi ribbons and clathrin proteins, through videos and microscope stills.
Recent studies show that social signals can profoundly affect when and how genes function, leading to changes in behavior. In animals like honey bees and songbirds, social information alters gene expression, allowing for complex adaptations and behaviors.
Researchers found a positive correlation between learning performance and immune response in bumblebees, contradicting previous predictions. Bumblebee colonies with strong learning abilities also showed improved resistance to bacterial infection.
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London discovered that bumblebees use flower scent to guide their nest-mates to good food sources. The bees learned the most from demonstrations by other bees bringing back scent, but also gained knowledge when the anise odour entered the nest.
A UC Davis researcher has crossed New World Carniolans with Old World bees to create a more productive, winter-hardy, and resistant strain. This genetic research aims to increase resistance to pests and diseases, which are major contributors to the decline of honey bee colonies.
A team of researchers discovered that bee swarms are guided by high-speed streaker bees, which fly through the top half of the swarm at high speeds. The team filmed swarming bees with high-definition cameras and analyzed over 3500 frames to build a picture of the insects' flight directions.
A new study found that honey bees reared quickly perform less optimally on tasks, leading to oxidative damage and reduced longevity. This suggests a link between rapid development and aging, with potential implications for human health.
Researchers discovered that giant honeybees' shimmering behavior acts as an anti-predatory defense, forcing hornets to hunt free-flying bees rather than nesting bees. This unique trait is linked to the hornet's flight speed and proximity to the nest.
Researchers found 8 types of bacteria that can degrade synthetic pyrethroids in sheep dip tanks, potentially preventing soil and river contamination. These microorganisms could be added to prevent environmental pollution.
Researchers found that bumblebees slow down when approaching camouflaged crab spiders to detect predators, losing valuable foraging time. However, this strategy doesn't improve their chances of avoiding capture and even leads to reduced efficiency.
Researchers found unprecedented levels of fluvalinate and coumaphos in beeswax, while pollen and bees showed lower levels of other pesticides. A new method using gamma radiation reduced acaricide load in beeswax by 50%. The study highlights the need for monitoring pesticide interactions and potential links to Colony Collapse Disorder.
Scientists have discovered that bumblebees choose whether to search for food according to how stocked their nests are. The team used RFID technology to track the activity of bees in the lab and found that colonies with low food reserves had a stronger response to pheromones, leading to more worker bees becoming active.
Ecologists assess the impact of human activity on bee populations and explore alternatives with native bees serving as 'biological insurance.' A study found that areas with extreme fragmentation have smaller bee populations and fewer species.
Researchers from Queen Mary University of London have applied Geographic Profiling (GP) technique to bumblebees to analyze their foraging behavior. The study revealed that bees create a 'buffer zone' around their hive to reduce the risk of predators and parasites.
Scientists at the University of Warwick have found four types of fungi effective against varroa mites, which feed on honey bee circulatory fluid and transmit diseases. The researchers are exploring ways to deliver these killer fungi through various methods, including foot baths and powder sprays.
Researchers found that parasitic flies in bee cells affect the size and behavior of emerging bees. Smaller bees are more likely to act as workers, while larger ones become queens. The study suggests that parasites may promote sociality in certain situations.
New research reveals that commercial bees are infecting and spreading diseases to wild pollinators, contributing to declining pollinator populations. The study found that commercially produced bumble bees carry a harmful pathogen that can be transmitted to wild bees at flowers.
A new study from the University of Leicester found that bumble-bees' impaired immune response leads to reduced learning abilities and altered behavior when infected. This research has important implications for understanding bee colony survival and the decline of wild bumble-bee species.
Biologists found that wasps warm up when finding protein-rich meat and bumble bees do the same with pollen, suggesting an ancestral behavior. Both insects' elevated body heat may be a signal to other bees that has acquired meaning beyond its original physiological function.
Scientists have found that Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) does not replicate in Varroa mites, highlighting the need for further investigation into its transmission. Research suggests that the virus is transmitted to bees when the mite bites and picks up infected bees' saliva or gut contents.
Two IEEE-USA Engineering Mass Media Fellows are writing news stories on science and technology for top California newspapers. The program aims to improve public understanding of STEM fields through clear communication.