Articles tagged with Bees
Researchers found that scent-trained honeybees visited sunflowers more often and brought back more pollen, resulting in a 29-57% increase in seed production. This approach could improve pollination efficiency for crops like almonds, pears, and apples.
A study by researchers at the University of Göttingen found that bumblebees thrive in faba bean fields, with populations more than twice as high as in non-bean landscapes. In contrast, other wild bees do not benefit from faba bean cultivation but rely on semi-natural habitats for survival.
Researchers discovered elevated markers associated with heat stress and pesticide exposure in failed queens from B.C., suggesting temperature fluctuations during transportation and potential pesticide effects may contribute to queen bee failure. A diagnostic test is proposed to help beekeepers understand and prevent this issue.
A team of Brazilian researchers has completed the sequencing of Frieseomelitta varia, a native stingless bee species with economic interest as a pollinator. The study reveals conserved ancestral traits and regulatory functions in noncoding RNAs linked to the workers' sterility, providing valuable insights into social insect evolution.
A study from Lund University found that population density, not vegetation cover, has the biggest impact on species richness of pollinators in residential areas. Urban environments with high population densities have fewer species of wild bees and hoverflies.
A study found that climate change is causing a phenological mismatch between bees and flowers, with bees emerging later than flowers reach their peak flowering time. This disruption has the potential to reduce abundance of pollinators and plants, leading to reduced fitness losses for mutualist species.
Researchers found that if 40% of landowners provide space for wild bee habitat, they lose $1M but generate nearly $2.5M for their neighbors. Collaboration among neighboring farmers could lead to increased benefits.
A new study reveals that city-dwelling bumblebees are larger and more productive than their rural counterparts due to fragmented habitats. This increase in body size may be linked to improved pollination services, as larger bees can see better, learn faster, and travel further.
A recent study found that air pollution in Bangalore City leads to lower flower visitation rates and altered physiological responses in Giant Asian honey bees. The research suggests widespread negative impacts on these critical pollinators, threatening India's food security and ecosystems.
Honey bees from highly polluted sites in India show reduced survival rates and altered physiological characteristics, indicating air pollution's negative impact on their health. The study suggests that air pollution may also affect ecosystem services, highlighting the need for further research to address this issue.
African carder bees have been spotted in Western Australia for the first time, according to Curtin University research. The invasive species was previously recorded in Queensland and has since spread throughout eastern Australia, raising concerns about its potential impact on native ecosystems.
Research from UBC's PCIGR analyzed honey samples from Parisian hives collected after the April 2019 Notre Dame Cathedral fire. Lead concentrations were up to four times higher than pre-fire levels, suggesting exposure to lead contamination. The study provides a unique method for tracing environmental pollution using honey.
Researchers Rebecca Lybrand and her team studied the interaction between ground-nesting bees and soils in agricultural settings. They found that active nesting sites were present in locations with little to no rock cover and low vegetation, which may provide a suitable habitat for these pollinators.
Researchers found that flower buzzing produced forces of over 50G, five times that experienced by fighter jet pilots, and suggests bees use specific types of buzzing vibrations for certain tasks. This discovery provides important insight into the pollination process and how flowers coevolved with bees.
A Rutgers-led study reveals that US crop yields for apples, cherries, and blueberries are being reduced due to a lack of pollinators. The research highlights the critical role of wild bees and honeybees in pollination and suggests that adopting practices to conserve or augment these species could boost yields.
A Cornell University study found that one in eight individual bees had at least one parasite, with social bees more susceptible to infection. The researchers identified five common parasites transmitted through flowers, highlighting the importance of flower abundance and bee diversity in controlling disease spread.
A recent study has identified trehalulose, a rare sugar in native stingless bee honey, as having a low glycaemic index and not causing tooth decay. This discovery strengthens the market for stingless bee honey and creates new opportunities for its use in food products.
Research suggests that having more flowers and a more diverse bee community could reduce the spread of bee parasites. The study found that when bee communities are at their most diverse, the proportion of infected bees is lowest, and when flowers are at their most abundant, fewer are likely to act as transmission hubs.
Researchers developed the APIStrip tool to sample contaminants in honeybee colonies without disrupting their normal routine. The method uses a polystyrene strip with Tenax to detect up to 442 kinds of pesticides, including residues from beekeepers' treatments and plant protection products.
A York University study reveals that 94% of wild bee and native plant species networks have been disrupted, with 30% completely lost. Climate change and habitat destruction are major drivers of this loss, while native plants and bees can still be found in some areas.
A growing evidence suggests a fungal pathogen known as Nosema is infecting native bees worldwide, with little known about its impact on these species. This infection threatens pollination and ecosystems, as native bees contribute to agricultural crop pollination and play a crucial role in local ecosystems.
A study tracked queen bumblebees' movements as they established nests, revealing changes in habitat selection and diet preferences. The findings suggest that diversified landscapes support bumblebee colonies by meeting their changing needs during different phases of their lifecycle.
Researchers identified over 1,100 genetic variants associated with colony-wide aggression levels in response to simulated attacks. A chromosomal region containing genes involved in brain development was found to be strongly linked to the evolution of gentler Africanized honey bees.
Researchers found strong correlations between a colony's defensiveness and specific gene frequencies, rather than individual bee's genes. The study suggests that the home environment, such as island living with human populations, may be a better predictor of gentleness in honey bees.
A new study found that genomic traits of the hive are strongly associated with how fiercely its soldiers attack. The research suggests that the genetic makeup of the society, not individual bee genetics, plays a key role in aggression.
Researchers at York University found that the mixing of African and European genetics led to hyper-aggression in invasive African hybrid honey bees (AHB). The study sequenced genomes of AHB colonies and identified mutations associated with their aggressive behavior.
Chronic exposure to thiamethoxam has negative impacts on black garden ants, compromising colony survivorship. The study highlights the importance of sustainable agricultural practices to prevent damage to natural ecosystems.
Research by the University of Göttingen found that wild bees depend on landscape structure, with small fields and organic areas providing benefits for bumblebee colonies. Flower strips in conventional cereal fields also attract pollinators, highlighting the importance of agri-environmental schemes that consider landscape structure.
Researchers studying Western bumblebee decline identify multiple factors contributing to the species' decline. The study provides critical information on the species' range, gaps in knowledge, and conservation strategies.
Researchers found that ancestors of distinctive Australian pollinating bees likely originated in tropical Asian countries, islands in the south-west Pacific or greater Oceania region. This study aims to better understand the origin and radiation of insects and other animals, helping environmental management during changing climates.
Beekeepers across the US lost 43.7% of their colonies in 2019-2020, with summer losses being the highest ever recorded at 32.0%. Winter losses were lower than usual, but commercial beekeepers struggled the most due to queen health and poor management practices.
The study found that exposure to Transform and Sivanto pesticides shortens honeybee lifespan and causes physiological stress. Researchers suggest that more information be put on the labels of these products and further studies be conducted on sublethal effects of chronic exposure.
Researchers at Edith Cowan University have discovered a plant that has evolved to use ants as pollinating agents by adapting its pollen grains to overcome ant antimicrobial defences. This is the first plant species found to benefit from this mutually beneficial relationship.
A team of researchers found that sweat bees switch from solitary to social behavior by repurposing ancient genes, challenging the long-held assumption that new genetic variants are always necessary for evolution. The study provides evidence that environmental influences can drive the evolution of complex traits like social behavior.
Research suggests that bees specializing in allogrooming exhibit stronger immune systems, which may enable them to withstand higher infection risks. Allogroomer bees occupy central positions in the colony's social network, benefiting a large number of bees.
Researchers found that bumblebee damage stimulates flower production in plants, accelerating their blooming. This phenomenon may help overcome challenges posed by climate change, which threatens to disrupt timing of mutualistic relationships between plants and insect pollinators.
New video technique reveals altered nursing behaviour and retarded larval development in neonicotinoid-treated honey bees. This affects their social interactions and increases the risk of parasite infestation, such as Varroa mite.
Researchers demonstrate that locally observed robot distribution can correlate with environmental features, such as exits in office-like environments. This approach enables trapped office workers to navigate their way out of a collapsed building, even in scenarios where robots lack communication or sensors.
A new Cornell University study found that 65% of bee species and 75% of flower species carried pathogens, with diseases transmitted between bees and flowers. In simplified landscapes with more farmland, the dominant bumblebee species spread pathogens across many more flowers, reducing individual bee exposure to new pathogens.
A new study by UMass Amherst and NC State biologists found that flower strips benefit common Eastern bumblebees despite some plants increasing pathogen infection rates. The researchers created three conditions with canola plants and different types of flower strips, showing that bees reproduce more with flower strips than without.
A UCL study reveals that moths transport pollen from a wide range of plants, including those rarely visited by bees and butterflies, contributing to crop yields and plant diversity. Moth pollen transport networks are larger and more complex than daytime pollinators.
Researchers found that high-infection plant species in flowering strips increase pathogen intensity in bumble bee colonies. However, exposure to these strips also boosts bee reproduction, highlighting the complex relationship between food resources and disease in pollinators.
Research shows microalgae Arthrospira platensis (spirulina) closely matches pollen's essential amino acids and lipids required by honey bees. Spirulina also contains prebiotics supporting healthy gut bacteria growth.
A study found that flowering strips benefit bumble bee colony reproduction by providing floral resources, but also increases the risk of a certain pathogen infection rate. However, the impact on foraging behavior and mortality was not significant.
Researchers have discovered a gene responsible for virgin births in Cape honey bees, allowing workers to lay female eggs without sex. This discovery has significant implications for understanding evolutionary transitions and potentially controlling asexual reproduction.
A new study reveals the emergence of a deadly viral disease in UK honey bee colonies, with clusters of chronic bee paralysis becoming more frequent. The disease is caused by a virus that leads to infected bees dying within a week, resulting in whole colonies being lost.
Researchers identified top food sources for urban honey bees, including trees like maples and oaks in spring, and woody vines like Virginia creeper in summer and fall. The study highlights actionable findings for urban land management, beekeepers, and homeowners to sustain honey bees and other pollinator species.
Researchers used mass spectrometry to analyze sperm stored in honey bee queens and found five proteins activated by extreme temperatures. The proteins can indicate heat stress in queen bees and serve as a bellwether for wider insect fertility losses.
Researchers found that IAPV-infected honey bees are more likely to be accepted by foreign colonies, engaging in increased trophallaxis with guards. The infected bees also exhibit distinct chemical profiles, suggesting a changed behavior meant to appease the guards.
Infection with Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV) alters honey bee social behavior, reducing aggression and changing chemical signals. This manipulation facilitates viral transmission between colonies, raising concerns about the impact of high colony densities on pathogen evolution.
Researchers discovered a Megalopta gynandromorph, exhibiting both male and female characteristics. The bee's activity patterns closely resembled those of females, with higher intensity periods during the day.
Researchers at Cornell University found that squash and pumpkin pollen deter bumblebees from collecting and eating pollen, potentially providing an evolutionary benefit to cucurbit plants. This is because the pollen causes damage and distorted digestive tracts in adult bees and prevents them from reproducing.
A study published in Ecology found that a native sweat bee species, Halictus ligatus, has a daily routine that makes it a promising pollinator. The bees were found to consistently visit the same plant species day-to-day, making them valuable for commercial crop pollination.
Insects can perform numerical estimation and compare sets of objects, recognizing larger quantities. Researchers found a simple model for neural networks to learn numerical cognition tasks using a single neuron.
A study by University of Hawaii researchers found that the new 'Independence' almond variety requires bee assistance for optimal yield, contrary to marketing claims. This challenges efforts to breed pollinator-independent almonds, which could have significant consequences for the beekeeping industry and agricultural pesticide use.
A study found that urban flower strips attract a significant number of city bee species, with one-year-old strips supporting over a quarter of the total bee fauna. The findings suggest that these greenery interventions provide essential support for pollinators and can serve as effective conservation measures.
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London discovered that bumblebees can find objects in the dark based on past experiences, a phenomenon called cross-modal recognition. This ability allows bees to form mental images of shapes despite limited sensory input.
Scientists have resolved the structure of an essential protein for insect smell, suggesting that millions of odor receptors evolved to suit different lifestyles and habitats. The protein Orco forms a common channel with many odor receptors, allowing for diverse adaptations.
Researchers at the University of Ottawa develop a new technique to predict the impact of climate change on species extinction risk, finding that bumble bee populations are disappearing in areas with hotter temperatures. The study's findings suggest a future with fewer bumble bees and reduced diversity, both in the wild and on our plates.
Bumble bees prefer normal, low-fat pollen over high-fat versions, which can negatively impact their reproduction and survival. The bees' ability to distinguish between nutrients allows them to make informed food choices.