Some Pollinators Swipe Right on Annual Ornamental Flowers
Floral features and environmental context influence generalist pollinators’ attraction to annual ornamental plants, which could help balance the needs of humans and pollinators.
Don’t Poop Where You Eat: Bee Defecation on Flowers May Explain Disease Transmission
In a recent study, flower shape played a role in defecation patterns for common eastern bumble bees (Bombus impatiens). Researchers say this could reveal a disease transmission route affecting bee populations.
Wildflower Strips Bring Farmers Extra Money While Helping Native Bees
Planting strips of wildflowers next to crops is a boon for native bees, but few farms adopt the practice. A new study, however, shows farmers can turn an immediate profit by selling wildflower seeds retail, while the long-term benefits of increased pollination and crop yields materialize over time.
Survey Shines Light on Beekeepers’ Efforts to Manage Varroa Mites
Nonchemical Varroa-management methods are more common among small-scale beekeepers, but chemical varroacides show wide use among all types.
Propolis Power-Up: How Beekeepers Can Encourage Resin Deposits for Better Hive Health
When honey bees produce more propolis, a waxy resin they use for sealing up their hives, overall health benefits to the colony ensue. A new study tests a few simple methods beekeepers can use to encourage more propolis production in their hives.
Entomologists and Collaborators Visit North Dakota for Hands-On Exploration of Pollinator Health
Participants in the 2018 Pollinator Field Tour, organized by the Honey Bee Health Coalition and the Entomological Society of America's Plant-Insect Ecosystems Section, say the field tour inspired action, broadened understanding, and promoted collaboration toward protecting pollinators.
For Good of the Colony, Sick Honey Bee Brood Sounds the Alarm
Honey bees detect and remove brood afflicted with parasites or pathogens. A new study shows that part of this "hygienic behavior" relies on chemical signals emitted by unhealthy brood, and brood coming from colonies bred to be more hygienic are more effective in signaling for their own removal.
New and Easy Marking Method Tracks Bees Without Killing Them
A new study published in the Journal of Insect Science outlines a new technique that quickly, simply, and inexpensively marks bees to track their movement—and it's non-lethal, too. It could make for an valuable improvement for mark-and-recapture methods for these pollinators.
More Research Needed to Better Balance Honey Bees and Native Bees
A review of existing research on floral resource competition between managed honey bees and wild bees shows gaps in our knowledge about such interactions and calls for further research to better inform decisions on honey bee management and pollinator protection.
Do Managed Burns in Grasslands Benefit Butterflies?
Though under-used, prescribed fire can reinstate natural disturbance regimes in the North American Great Plains. The Range Science program at North Dakota State University is studying how this practice affects the local ecosystem, including its impact on pollinators such as butterflies.
Beyond the Honey Bee: How Pesticides Affect Solitary, Cavity-Nesting Bees
Solitary bees face different—and less well-understood—challenges from pesticide exposure than their colony-dwelling honey bee cousins. A pair of entomologists encourage colleagues to dedicate more research to these important pollinators.
How Bee Hotels Support Urban Pollinators and Educate Locals on One College Campus
Bee hotels provide nesting habitat for a range of native, solitary, cavity-nesting bees. At North Carolina State University, several bee hotels installed on campus support local pollinators and are accompanied with information for campus residents about native bees and the important role they play.
Field Tour Gets First-Hand Look at IPM and Pollinator Health in Mississippi
By Rayda Krell, Ph.D., and Melissa Willrich Siebert, Ph.D. “Creating a pollinator protection program is like making gumbo,” said Andy Whittington, environmental programs coordinator at the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation. […]
Where Vector Management Meets Pollinator Protection, Local Collaboration is Key
Managing mosquito and tick populations and protecting the health of pollinators are growing concerns on a global scale, but success in both requires teamwork on the local level. A coalition […]
Mow Before You Spray, and Other Tips for Protecting Pollinators in Grassy Landscapes
With the right combination of methods, landscape managers can strike an effective balance between pest management and protecting pollinators in turfgrass settings. A new, open-access guide in the Journal of […]
Study Finds Bees Can Have Their Wildflowers and Almonds, Too
By Josh Lancette New research published this week in the journal Environmental Entomology shows that planting wildflowers next to almond orchards does not cause fewer honey bees to visit the […]