Articles tagged with Bees
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.
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.
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 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 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
Researchers found that honeybees use their right and left antennae to store different types of memories. Short-term memory is linked to the right antenna, while long-term learning relies on the left antenna. This lateralization may aid bees in learning new odours without interference from existing memories.
International researchers discovered that Asian and European honeybees can share information and cooperate through dance language despite their geographical distance. The study showed that the two species can decipher encoded messages correctly after adjustment in a mixed colony.
Researchers at Harvard University have successfully created permanent nanoscale bubbles that can last over a year, thanks to a unique surfactant mixture. The discovery has significant implications for the development of extended-lifetime gas-liquid products, such as aerated personal-care products and contrast agents.
Researchers have discovered a new mechanism of infection for American Foulbrood, the deadliest bee disease, allowing for potential prevention and control measures to be developed. The study provides a better understanding of pathogen-host interactions, crucial for combating infectious diseases in honeybees.
A University of Virginia study finds that air pollution destroys flower scents by up to 90 percent, impairing pollinators' ability to locate flowers. This decline in fragility contributes to the declining populations of bees and butterflies, which are essential for food production.
A study found that honey bees invading new areas benefit from the genetic endowment of their predecessors, with functional genes from European bees providing an advantage. This discovery sheds light on the evolutionary mechanism behind the expansion of honey bees into temperate regions and their ability to thrive in harsh winter condit...
The Häagen-Dazs brand has gifted a new garden design to Penn State's Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility, featuring interconnected gardens and educational spaces. The design aims to provide year-round food sources for honey bees and raise public awareness about their plight.
Research suggests that predation pressures are key to maintaining sociality in bees, rather than biological complexity. The study of a rare African species with totipotent social ancestors reveals that ecological pressures prevail over evolutionary changes.
A team of researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology has developed a computer version of the honeybee dance, which directs server power between tasks to reduce the chances of server overload. This system improves service by up to 25% in tests based on real Internet traffic.
Research finds that honey bee queens who mate with multiple drones are more attractive to worker bees, leading to longer reigns. Pheromone composition changes after mating, with more multiply inseminated queens exhibiting stronger retinue response.
A study found that African elephants strongly respond to the sound of disturbed bees, fleeing immediately after hearing it. This response could be used as a valuable tool for elephant conservation and deterrence.
Researchers found that Cyprian honeybees mob and kill Oriental hornets through asphyxiation, targeting the hornets' abdomen to block breathing. This new defense strategy allows the bees to adapt to extreme conditions and survive.
A study by York University biologists Amro Zayed and Laurence Packer found that a single mated female solitary bee is likely the founder of an invasive population. This contradicts the 'propagule pressure hypothesis,' which suggests that more individuals introduced to an area lead to a higher success rate of invasion.
Researchers identified a virus, Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV), as a leading candidate in the deaths of tens of billions of bees. The study found that IAPV was only present in collapsed colonies, suggesting a possible causal relationship between infection and Colony Collapse Disorder.
A team of researchers has found a strong correlation between Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV) genetic material and Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) in bees. The prevalence of IAPV, the timing of outbreaks, and geographical circumstances suggest that IAPV is a significant marker for CCD.
A study published by AAAS suggests that Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV) is a potential cause of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), a phenomenon where adult bees disappear from hives. Researchers found molecular signs of IAPV associated with CCD, but stressors like poor nutrition and pesticide exposure are also likely involved.