By Andrea Germanos Despite lower applied amounts of pesticides in U.S. agriculture, their toxicity to non-target species including honeybees more than doubled in a decade, according to a new study. The findings by a team of researchers from Germany’s University Koblenz-Landau were published Friday in…
By Maggie Pavlick The economic value of insect pollinators was $34 billion in the U.S. in 2012, much higher than previously thought, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and Penn State University. The team also found that areas that are economically most reliant…
By Steve Lundeberg Researchers at Oregon State University have found that the blue orchard bee, an important native pollinator, produces female offspring at higher rates in the aftermath of wildfire in forests. The more severe the fire had been, the greater percentage of females—more than…
The loss of flowering plants and the widespread use of pesticides could be a double punch to wild bee populations. In a new study, researchers at the University of California, Davis, found that the combined threats reduced blue orchard bee reproduction by 57 percent and…
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…
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…
By: GreenMedInfo Research Group Bee propolis, a natural resin sourced from honeybees, hosts numerous health benefits thanks to its antiseptic, antimicrobial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. Here, we’ve outlined eight of the main benefits of consuming bee propolis. Bee propolis, a kind of “bee glue” or…
By Amanda Froelich There are many reasons why we love our gardens. They provide us with peace, happiness, and tranquility as we relax on a lazy Sunday with our own little slice of nature. They provide us with space to grow our own veggies, fruits,…
By Elias Marat A beekeeper in Ireland had the brilliant idea of building a big, colorful beehive made entirely out of LEGO – and the results are as spectacular as you’d imagine. Across the globe, people have been coping with social isolation and physical distancing…
By John Vibes You may have recently heard something about “murder hornets”, an invasive species to the United States that has been making headlines this month. The real name for this insect is the “Asian giant hornet” but in typical fashion, it has been given…
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 Mayukh Saha The bee population has seen a decrease of over 30% in the last hundred years in America and Europe. Declining habitat and climate change are among the top reasons for this decline, along with harmful pesticides. This Tuesday, scientists from the Imperial…
By John Vibes Beekeeping can be fun and rewarding, but it is also a bit more complicated than it looks, and often takes a lot of time and practice to master. One of the most interesting mistakes that a new beekeeper can make is leaving…
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — During the past 20 years, insecticides applied to U.S. agricultural landscapes have become significantly more toxic — over 120-fold in some Midwestern states — to honey bees when ingested, according to a team of researchers, who identified rising neonicotinoid seed treatments…
By Elias Marat Bees are major fans of hemp and a recent study has found that the taller the hemp plants are the larger the number of bees that will flock to it. The new research, spearheaded by researchers at Cornell University and published last…
By John Vibes According to a study published in the journal Biomass and Bioenergy earlier this year, planting more hemp could help to maintain bee populations which have become dangerously low in recent years. The study was conducted by researchers at Colorado State University, who…
By John Vibes According to a recent study published in Nature Scientific Reports, a specific type of mushroom extract can help honeybees fight off a devastating virus that is suspected of contributing to massive bee die-offs in recent years. The study was conducted by researchers…
By Arjun Walia The Facts: European Union governments recently widened the EU ban on pesticides linked to harming bees after deciding not to renew their approval for Bayer’s insecticide known as thiacloprid. Reflect On: How are these substances constantly approved in so many countries when…
The European Parliament has backed new protections for bees, thwarting a move by the EU Commission and national governments to maintain outdated guidelines for how to evaluate the dangers of pesticides. The vote at the Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg aims to ensure that more…
By Mayukh Saha At a meeting of the Royal Geographic Society of London, Earthwatch Institute declared bees the most invaluable species on this planet, as reported by The Guardian in 2008. And along with it comes this disturbing piece of news. If bees were to…
