Tag

Pollinators

All articles tagged with #pollinators

science24 days ago•3 min saved

Bees craft nutrient-balanced larval food from mixed pollen, study finds

Honeybees mix pollen into nurse-bee secretions to create a balanced bee bread and royal jelly, enabling larvae to receive a complete amino-acid profile; when pollen sources fail to match bees' needs, adults adjust intake and total consumption. The study finds most single-pollen sources mismatch bee amino-acid needs, with histidine levels steering feeding. Nurse bees' processing of pollen into bee bread and royal jelly helps colonies overcome nutritional gaps, underscoring the value of diverse pollen sources for pollinator health.

via The Guardian|

#amino-acids #bee-bread #bees

environment1 month ago•66 min saved

How a Maryland HOA Battle Turned Law in Favor of Pollinator Gardens

Janet and Jeff Crouch’s decade-long fight with their Maryland HOA over pollinator-friendly gardens ended with Maryland’s HB 332, protecting low-impact landscaping and pollinator habitats; the case helped spark similar laws in other states and illustrates how individual action can drive systemic change to support bees amid broader insect declines (a theme explored in Jennie Durant’s Bitter Honey).

via Live Science|

#environment #homeowners-associations #insect-apocalypse

science1 month ago•5 min saved

Underground Haven: 5.5 Million Mining Bees Nest Beneath an Ithaca Cemetery

Cornell researchers estimate about 5.5 million Andrena regularis mining bees nest underground beneath East Lawn Cemetery in Ithaca, NY, likely for more than a century across roughly 1.5 acres. The undisturbed soil and limited disturbance create a stable nesting habitat, highlighting the importance of overlooked sites like cemeteries for ground-nesting pollinators and their potential role in supporting nearby crops, while noting threats from habitat loss and pesticides.

via The Times of India|

#andrena-regularis #habitat-conservation #mining-bees

science1 month ago•5 min saved

Ithaca Cemetery Reveals Hidden Colony of 5.5 Million Miner Bees

Cornell researchers documented an underground colony of about 5.5 million Andrena regularis miner bees in East Lawn Cemetery, Ithaca, covering ~1.25 acres. Traps in 2023 estimated 3–8 million individuals, making it one of the largest bee aggregations on record and highlighting the cemetery as a refuge for urban biodiversity that supports local apple orchards. The study notes their underground nesting, early spring emergence, and ecological interactions, and it calls for citizen science to map and protect such underground bee populations before development disturbs them.

via WIRED|

#andrena-regularis #bees #biodiversity

animals1 month ago•42 min saved

Huge Underground Bee Colony Found Hidden at New York Cemetery

Researchers in Ithaca’s East Lawn Cemetery estimate a 100-year-old colony of about 5.5 million Andrena regularis bees nesting underground across 1.5 acres, potentially one of the world’s largest bee aggregations. Using emergence traps, they documented 3,251 insects across 16 species, with the population likely ranging 3–8 million. The colony’s longevity and size are tied to the cemetery’s undisturbed sandy soil and limited pesticide use, highlighting cemeteries as biodiversity refuges and the bees’ role in pollinating crops like apples.

via Good News Network|

#andrena-regularis #animals #bees

science1 month ago•5 min saved

Ithaca Cemetery Houses About 5.5 Million Ground-Nesting Bees

Researchers found that East Lawn Cemetery in Ithaca harbors roughly 5.5 million Andrena regularis ground-nesting bees, one of the largest such aggregations on record, counted using emergence traps. The site supports crop pollination and urban biodiversity, reinforcing cemeteries as valuable habitats and prompting efforts to protect nest sites and encourage citizen reports of similar aggregations.

via ScienceDaily|

#bees #biodiversity #cemeteries

science1 month ago•8 min saved

Nectar with a Buzz: Ethanol Found in Flowers Used by Pollinators

UC Berkeley researchers found ethanol in the nectar of 26 of 29 plant species, meaning bees and hummingbirds regularly ingest tiny amounts of alcohol as they forage; most levels are trace, with one sample at about 0.056% ethanol. For hummingbirds, this could amount to roughly the equivalent of a human one alcoholic drink per day; experiments show they tolerate modest alcohol but avoid higher concentrations, and feathers contain a metabolite indicating alcohol processing. The findings suggest dietary ethanol is widespread and may subtly affect pollinator behavior, with ongoing studies comparing intake across species.

via SciTechDaily|

#bees #ethanol #hummingbirds

science1 month ago•4 min saved

Hybrid California Honeybees Show Natural Edge Against Varroa Mites

UC Riverside tracked 236 colonies from 2019–2022 and found locally adapted hybrid California honeybees maintain lower Varroa mite loads—about 68% fewer mites and five times less likelihood of needing chemical treatments—than commercial queens. Lab tests also showed Varroa mites are less attracted to larvae from hybrid bees, especially around seven days old, hinting at a genetic defense formed early in development. The bees aren’t fully resistant, and researchers aim to identify the traits for future breeding to reduce chemical reliance and bolster global pollinator health.

via SciTechDaily|

#bee-genetics #california-hybrids #honeybees

lifestyle2 months ago•1 min saved

Spring Garden Wins: Rabbit-Resistant Choices and Smart Planting

Gardening expert Dave Epstein answers readers’ questions on tackling critters and selecting spring plants, noting mid-April is prime for planting perennials, trees and shrubs while avoiding warm-season crops. He highlights rabbit-resistant options like echinacea, goldenrod and New England asters, and suggests measures such as fencing around vegetable beds to deter critters, plus tips that support pollinators during the season.

via The Boston Globe|

#gardening #lifestyle #perennials

science2 months ago•5 min saved

Underground Bee Megacity Discovered Beneath Ithaca Cemetery

Researchers from Cornell estimated about 5.56 million ground-nesting Andrena regularis bees emerging from a 6,500 square meter area beneath East Lawn Cemetery in Ithaca, New York—one of the largest bee aggregations on record—highlighting how undisturbed soil in cemeteries can support abundant, often overlooked pollinators.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#andrena-regularis #bees #ground-nesting

science2 months ago•6 min saved

Ithaca cemetery hides a 5.5-million-bee underground city

Researchers find Ithaca’s East Lawn Cemetery hosts about 5.5 million Andrena regularis ground-nesting bees—one of the world’s largest known aggregations—estimated using emergence traps. The study, highlighting cemeteries as biodiversity refuges and the importance of wild pollinators for crops, also details emergence timing, brood parasitism by nomad bees, and a new global citizen-science project to document such aggregations.

via Cornell Chronicle|

#andrena-regularis #bees #biodiversity

gardening4 months ago•59 min saved

Meet the 12 Birth Month Bees and How to Welcome Them to Your Garden

A Homes & Gardens guide lists one birth-month bee for each month, with identification tips and practical ways to support them year-round—plant nectar-rich flowers, provide nesting sites like bee hotels or bare ground, and maintain wildlife-friendly habitat—plus product picks to boost pollinator gardens.

via Homes and Gardens|

#bees #birth-month-bees #gardening

wildlife5 months ago•56 min saved

Rare Chestnut Mining Bee Discovered in Upstate Orchard Expands NY Range

A SUNY ESF ecologist found a chestnut mining bee in a Syracuse orchard—the rare pollinator last seen in southern New York in 1904—marking the first NY sighting north of the Hudson and highlighting ongoing chestnut restoration work that supports pollinators in urban settings.

via The Dodo|

#chestnut-mining-bee #new-york #orchard-restoration

environment8 months ago•4 min saved

Crop Chemicals Alter Behavior in Bees and Fish

A study by UFZ scientists found that crop chemicals like fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides cause significant behavioral changes in honeybees and zebrafish, even at environmentally relevant low concentrations, suggesting the need for more complex behavioral testing in chemical risk assessments to better protect non-target organisms and biodiversity.

via Phys.org|

#aquatic-life #behavioral-changes #ecotoxicology

environment10 months ago•4 min saved

Green Bus Stops Boost Bees and Community Well-being

Green bus stops with living roofs are being implemented worldwide to combat urban heat, support pollinators, and integrate nature into cities, with potential to significantly increase urban green space and improve environmental health.

via The Washington Post|

#environment #green-bus-stops #green-roofs