The latest news about entomology, brought to you by the Entomological Society of America
By Andrew Porterfield Honey bees are crucial for pollination and crop production worldwide. But since episodes of Colony Collapse Disorder began arising in the mid-2000s (and have subsided somewhat), the causes of costly deaths of adult bees have focused on mites, viruses, and a number of pesticides. One group of pesticides, the neonicotinoids, has been […]
In 2006 a phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) emerged. Beekeepers and scientists noticed that large numbers of adult honey bees were leaving their hives and failing to return, which had large implications for farmers and growers who use honey bees as pollinators. To this day, scientists are unable to identify any single cause for […]
According to a national survey of honey bee colony losses conducted by the Bee Informed Partnership, the Apiary Inspectors of America, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. beekeepers lost more than one in five honey bee colonies in the winter of 2013-2014 — significantly fewer than the winter before. But tough times continue for […]
By Richard Levine Neonicotinoids (or neonics for short) are a class of pesticide that has been popular with corn, cotton, canola, and soybean farmers for years. Instead of spraying pesticides on plants growing in the field, seeds are treated with neonics before planting. As the crops grow, the pesticide is taken up by the plants, […]
In 2006 a phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) emerged. Beekeepers and scientists noticed that large numbers of adult honey bees were leaving their hives and failing to return, which had large implications for farmers and growers who use honey bees as pollinators. Today the exact cause of the CCD is still unknown, but scientists […]
Up to 5,000 sensors measuring 2.5mm x 2.5 mm are being fitted to the backs of bees in Hobart, Tasmania, before being released into the wild. It’s the first time such large numbers of insects have been used for environmental monitoring by using a technique known as “swarm sensing.” The research is being led by […]
Since 2006, a phenomenon known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has affected managed honey bee hives by decreasing populations. Researchers studying the causes of CCD have found many possibilities, including invasive mites, pathogens, pesticide residues, poor nutrition, habitat loss, and stress. Now scientists in the UK are suggesting another possible cause: diesel fumes. According to […]
While many studies have been conducted on how insecticides used on crops may affect honey bee health, a new study by researchers at the University of Maryland and the U.S. Department of Agriculture suggests that honey bees may be negatively affected by something completely different — fungicides. The researchers gathered pollen from honey bee hives […]
There’s been a lot of talk recently about neonicotinoid pesticides and their effects on honey bees and their possible role in Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), with some groups calling for banning them. However, Canada and Australia use neonicotinoids but have not experienced CCD. In this article, “Science Collapse Disorder — The Real Story Behind Neonics […]
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