By Vic Bishop Just under the radar of public concern is the fact that bees and pollinator insects are dying off in catastrophic numbers; and if we are unable to reverse this trend, we face a very different kind of future. Bees in particular appear…
By Olivia Rosane A new study has found that exposure to certain pesticides can alter bees’ genes, leading researchers to call for tougher regulations on the widely-used chemicals. The study, published Wednesday in Molecular Ecology, looked at the impact of two neonicotinoid pesticides on bumblebee populations and found that they…
By Amanda Froelich Thirty-eight years ago, the world’s largest bee was presumed extinct. On an expedition to Indonesia, however, a specimen of Wallace’s giant bee (Megachile pluto) was found alive. The Guardian reports that a fully-grown Wallace’s giant bee is four times the size of…
By Elias Marat The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted “emergency” clearance to sulfoxaflor – an insecticide that, by the agency’s own admission, is considered “very highly toxic” to bees. Sulfoxaflor will be used on over 16 million acres of crops that are attractive to bees….
Up to 13% of US beekeepers are in danger of losing their colonies due to pesticides sprayed to contain the Zika virus, new research suggests. Zika – claimed to cause severe brain defects in unborn children – is alleged to be spread by mosquitoes, so…
By Rachel Blevins As the world population of honey bees continues to decline at a dangerous rate, a new study suggests that mushrooms could have a powerful effect on bees by helping them combat the viruses that have been killing their colonies. According to the…
By Jon Queally While it has been widely established by the scientific community that the class of pesticides known as neonicotinoids (or neonics) have had devastating impacts on honey bees and other pollinators, new research shows that Monsanto’s glyphosate—the world’s most widely used chemical weed-killer—is also extremely…
By Alex Pietrowski Global populations of bees and pollinator insects are being decimated at an alarming rate, and in recent years we’ve learned that use of neonicotinoid pesticides are largely to blame. But, as researchers are now confirming, the most used (and overused) herbicide in the world,…
By Jessica Corbett While the Trump administration recently moved to roll back a ban on neonicotinoid pesticides in U.S. wildlife refuges, conservationists are celebrating Canada “for recognizing the overwhelming body of scientific evidence on neonics and phasing out these dangerous pesticides.” SEE: Trump Reverses Ban On GMOs And Bee-Killing Pesticides In…
By Jessica Corbett While regulators in other regions of the world have recently worked to ban bee-poisoning pesticides called neonicotinoids that scientists have long warned could cause an “ecological armageddon,” the Trump administration just reversed an Obama-era policy that had outlawed the use of neonics and genetically modified crops in…
WASHINGTON – Four commonly used neonicotinoid pesticides can harm bees and other pollinators, according to a new analysis by California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation. The study found that current approved uses of the “neonics” on crops like tomatoes, berries, almonds, corn and oranges exposes bees to levels…
By Heather Callaghan, Editor Most bees are colonial collectivists. Heck – a bee hive is the quintessential metaphor for a collective group. If someone is behaving from a “hive mind” – well that image says a lot! But one species of bee stands out as a renegade…
By Melinda Cafferty, Natural Blaze Farai Chinomwe didn’t set out to bring awareness to bee decline, but his life has changed drastically in the last decade. He always enjoyed marathon running and eventually was inspired to run backward. Meanwhile, he made one very life-changing decision that most people…
By Heather Callaghan, Editor The state of Virginia wants to encourage bee populations. After all, bees are said to be responsible for one out of every three bites of food. To get beekeepers started, Virginia is going to give away up to three hives and other equipment…
By Brandon Turbeville, Natural Blaze “I’m not going to be like everyone else, I’m going to file suit against Monsanto” A beekeeping cooperative in northern France has filed a legal complaint against Bayer, the German chemical giant that recently merged with Monsanto after finding traces of glyphosate in their…
By Brandon Turbeville, Natural Blaze As bee populations continue to decline the world over, even more bad news is headed our way. According to numbers recorded in 2017, Irish bumblebee populations were at the lowest level since monitoring began six years earlier. The results indicated a relative marked loss…
By Melinda Cafferty, Natural Blaze A Polish startup has come up with a whimsically innovative way of turning a common waste product into an “energy drink” for pollinators. GNN reports: Bee Saving Paper is a biodegradable paper that is packed full of energy-rich glucose that is nutritious…
By Lisa Egan Feared at best and considered a useless, disposable nuisance at worst, bees are among the most underappreciated creatures on the planet. That’s a shame because our very existence relies on the tiny buzzing creatures. We’ve known for years that bee populations all across North America…
Current Administration Putting Profits Ahead of Bees WASHINGTON – The Bee Informed Partnership released results on May 23, 2018 of its annual survey of honeybee colony losses. Beekeepers reported 40.1 percent bee colony losses between April 2017 and April 2018. However, these numbers only represent 6.6 percent…
By Kelsey K. Graham, Michigan State University Declines in bee populations around the world have been widely reported over the past several decades. Much attention has focused on honey bees, which commercial beekeepers transport all over the United States to pollinate crops. However, while honey…
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