By Maryam Henein Being On “Tilt” When I began to physically react to smells that are imperceptible and un-bothersome to most, I started to scratch my head with confusion. Was I mutating? Yes, I had developed super nasal powers years ago after a near-death experience…
A previously banned insecticide, which was approved for agricultural use last year in the United States, is harmful for bees and other beneficial insects that are crucial for agriculture, and a second pesticide in widespread use also harms these insects. That is according to a…
Using the venom from 312 honeybees and bumblebees in Perth Western Australia, Ireland and England, Dr Ciara Duffy from the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and The University of Western Australia, tested the effect of the venom on the clinical subtypes of breast cancer,…
Having more flowers and maintaining diverse bee communities could help reduce the spread of bee parasites, according to a new study. The research, conducted on more than 5,000 flowers and bees, reveals how bee parasites spread and what measures could help control them. Bees can…
Beekeepers across the United States lost 43.7% of their managed honey bee colonies from April 2019 to April 2020, according to preliminary results of the 14th annual nationwide survey conducted by the nonprofit Bee Informed Partnership (BIP). These losses mark the second highest loss rate…
The lives of honeybees are shortened – with evidence of physiological stress – when they are exposed to the suggested application rates of two commercially available and widely used pesticides, according to new Oregon State University research. In a study published in the journal PLOS…
Trees, shrubs and woody vines are among the top food sources for honey bees in urban environments, according to an international team of researchers. By using honey bees housed in rooftop apiaries in Philadelphia, the researchers identified the plant species from which the honey bees…
By Sara Tipton Before deciding to get into beekeeping, it’s important to know what you’re signing up for. It may seem daunting, but beekeeping comes down knowing the basics. If you’ve considered getting a colony or more of bees, make sure you figure out the…
By Derek Mitchell, University of Leeds Honey bees are under extreme pressure. The number of honey bee colonies in the US has been declining at an average rate of almost 40% since 2010. The biggest contributor to this decline is viruses spread by a parasite,…
Adjuvants not as benign to honey bees as previously thought Adjuvants are chemicals that are commonly added to plant protection products, such as pesticides, to help them spread, adhere to targets, disperse appropriately, or prevent drift, among other things. There was a widespread assumption that…
More “intensive” beekeeping does not raise the risk of diseases that harm or kill the insects, new research suggests. Intensive agriculture – where animals or plants are kept crowded together in very high densities – is thought to result in higher rates of disease spreading….
