Latest Bees Stories
Lee Rannals for redOrbit.com – Your Universe Online Policy makers in Europe just imposed a two-year precautionary ban on a type of pesticide until more is known about how it may affect bees. The European Commission said it would be adopting a proposal to restrict the use of three pesticides belonging to the nenicotinoid family; including clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiametoxam. An Appeal Committee voted on April 29, 2013 and failed to agree on restrictions for the pesticides....
Apply Responsibly Officials Urge Safe & Environmentally Sound Practices in the Home and Garden. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (PRWEB) April 22, 2013 Earth Day 2013 marks the fifth straight year for the Apply Responsibly program, an ongoing effort to educate homeowners about the link between protecting California waterways and the responsible use of pesticides in residential settings, according to officials for the stewardship program. “Earth Day is a great opportunity to remind homeowners to...
redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports - Your Universe Online A swarm of killer bees attacked a 65-year-old Florida man and his dog Thursday afternoon (April 18) before turning their attention on the firefighters who responded to his 911 call for help, according to various media reports. The man, Robert Denmark of West Park, Florida, was giving his pet Ricco a bath when they were swarmed by bees from a nearby tree, reports Penny Eims of Examiner.com. Denmark attempted to spray them using a...
April Flowers for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online Why do bees copy each other when looking for nectar? The answer is remarkably simple, according to a new study from Queen Mary, University of London and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). Bees have tiny brains. But even with this handicap, they are smart enough to pick out the most attractive flowers by watching other bees and learning from their behavior. The use of simple logic allows them to watch for the most popular...
April Flowers for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online Across the US beekeepers and researchers have been reporting that a powerful new class of pesticides may be killing off bumblebees. A new study, led by the University of Pittsburgh, pinpoints another potential cause: metal pollution in flowers from aluminum and nickel. The study findings, published in the journal Environmental Pollution, reveal that bumblebees are at risk of ingesting toxic amounts of metals such as nickel and...
BRUSSELS, March 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- ECPA recommends proportionate, evidence-based approach, as Standing Committee delivers 'no opinion' on neonicotinoids Member States have failed to reach a qualified majority in a vote potentially leading to a ban on the use of neonicotinoid based pesticides on crops attractive to bees. The European Commission's Appeal Committee will now decide the fate of this important agricultural technology. Friedhelm Schmider Director...
April Flowers for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online An international study of wild insects finds that managed honeybees are not as successful at pollinating crops as wild insects, especially wild bees. Collected from 600 fields in 20 countries, the data suggest the continuing loss of wild insects in many agricultural landscapes is having negative consequences for crop harvests. The study, published in a recent issue of Science, is an urgent call to maintain and manage pollinator...
BRUSSELS, January 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- A Humboldt Forum for Food and Agriculture report highlights that if neonicotinoid seed treatments were no longer available, impact on the EU economy could be as great as EUR4.5 billion with a loss of at least 50,000 farm jobs across the EU. Over a 5-year period, the EU could lose up to EUR17 billion and face a significant increase in pest pressure. "These figures demonstrate the value this technology brings to EU farming",...
Science Pays Tribute to One of Television’s Favorite Physicists With the Naming of a Brand-New Species of Bee After the Esteemed Dr. Sheldon Cooper BURBANK, Calif (PRWEB) January 02, 2013 He has two Ph.D’s and an IQ of 187, he plays “Words with Friends” with Stephen Hawking, and he owns Leonard Nimoy’s napkin. The global march to spread the genius of The Big Bang Theory’s Dr. Sheldon Cooper just crossed scientific fields, from theoretical physics to evolutionary zoo biology,...
Lawrence LeBlond for redOrbit.com - Your Universe Online A United Nations-sponsored study has developed a new method to monitor global bee populations. The method, which will see regular bee counts over a five year period, should also serve as an early warning system alerting scientists to dangers threatening the world’s food and economic system. The work has been spearheaded by San Francisco State University Professor of Biology Gretchen LeBuhn. She and her colleagues, who published...
Latest Bees Reference Libraries
Apiology is the scientific study of honey bees, a subdiscipline of melittology (the study of all bees), which is a subdiscipline of entomology. Melittology comprises of more than 17,000 species other than the honey bee. Apiology includes apicology, which is the study of honey bee ecology. Honey bees are often chosen as a study group to answer questions on the evolution of social systems. People who study honey bees are called apiologists. There have been a number of notable apiologists...
The bumblebee is a flying insect of the genus Bombus in the family Apidae and a relative of the common honeybee. The bumblebee feeds on nectar and gathers pollen to feed its young. They are beneficial to humans and the plant world alike, and tend to be larger than other members of the bee family. Most bumblebee species are gentle. From this comes their original name: "Humblebee". Bumblebees are social insects that are known for their black and yellow striped bodies, a commonality among the...
PHOTO CAPTION: Megachile centuncularis (L.) a European leaf-cutter bee, cutting a Wisteria leaf. Photo taken by Keith Edkins The Megachilidae are a family of mainly solitary bees. They carry pollen in specialized structures called scopae. These scopae are located under the abdomen, rather than on the hind legs like in the honey bee. Megachilidae are commonly known as mason and leaf cutter bees, reflecting the materials they build their nest cells from, such as clay or leaves. Most species...
Carpenter bees (Xylocopinae subfamily) are considered to be important pollinators, especially of open-faced flowers, though they are also known to "rob" nectar by boring holes in the sides of flowers with deep corollas (thus not accomplishing pollination). The smaller species tunnel into pithy stems to build their nests. Other species bore holes in wood and can become pests in wood construction. Carpenter bees are often mistaken for bumblebees. They are similar in size and coloring. The...
Halictidae is a family of the order Hymenoptera consisting of small to midsize bees which are usually dark-colored and often metallic. Several species are all or partly green and a few are red. Most halictids nest in the ground. They are commonly referred to as halictid bees or sweat bees (especially the smaller, black species), which seem attracted to perspiration and, when pinched, can give a minor sting. Most halictid species are pollen feeders and important pollinators. A few...
