Latest Pollinators Stories
The world's oldest known example of a fig wasp has been found on the Isle of Wight. The fossil wasp is almost identical to the modern species, proving that this tiny but specialized insect has remained virtually unchanged for over 34 million years.The fossil isn't a new find but was wrongly identified as an ant when it was first discovered in the 1920s. Fig wasp expert at the University of Leeds, Dr Steve Compton, was called in to study the fossil when the late Dr Mikhail Kozlov spotted the...
ATLANTA, June 14 /PRNewswire/ -- For many families, summer means pool parties and backyard barbeques. But where there is fun for kids, there are safety concerns for parents - like how to prevent sunburn, poolside accidents or insect bites and stings. According to Atlanta-based pest control leader Orkin, while most summer bugs like June beetles are just nuisances, summer bees, wasps and mosquitoes - and their stings or bites - can cause serious health issues. In fact, while most insect bites...
Scientists have discovered a way of mimicking the stunningly bright and beautiful colors found on the wings of tropical butterflies. The findings could have important applications in the security printing industry, helping to make bank notes and credit cards harder to forge.The striking iridescent colors displayed on beetles, butterflies and other insects have long fascinated both physicists and biologists, but mimicking nature's most colorful, eye-catching surfaces has proved elusive.This is...
Scientists say that bumblebees' distinctive bright yellow and black stripes may not be what is keeping them safe from their enemies. A U.K. study has discovered that other aspects of bees' behavior may matter more than the classic bee color to keep predators away. The scientists told BBC News that a bee predator's true deterrent could be the way the bumblebees fly or perhaps the buzzing sound they make. The study was published in the Journal of Zoology. Scientists have long believed that once...
Blue-green orchid bees zip through increasingly scarce patches of tropical forest pollinating rare flowers. For the first time, researchers at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute track unique signals from tiny transmitters glued to individual orchid bees, yielding new insight into the role of bees in tropical forest ecosystems."When people disturb and destroy tropical forest they disrupt pollination systems," said David Roubik, senior staff scientist at STRI. "Now we...
MISSOULA, Mont., May 24 /PRNewswire/ -- "Each and every person who sees this film, falls in love with it!" the judges said. Receiving a standing ovation by 900 schoolchildren, "wow" was heard throughout the historic Wilma Theater in the heart of downtown Missoula, Montana. The nature film, "First Flight: A Mother Hummingbird's Story," wins Best of Category, Independent, as well as several Merit Awards including Merit Award for Storytelling, Merit Award for Educational Value, Merit Award...
Social status in paper wasps is established earlier in life than scientists thought, says a study published this month in the journal PLoS ONE.While many social insects have distinct social classes that differ in appearance and are fixed from birth, paper wasp society is more fluid "” all castes look alike, and any female can climb the social ladder and become a queen. Now, molecular analysis reveals that paper wasp social hierarchy is less flexible than it appears. Queens diverge from...
If you're debating about what impatiens to plant in your yard, a recent study at the University of Illinois suggests that you go with Cajun Carmine, that is if you want fewer insects in your garden. Why some varieties of the popular bedding plant impatiens attract more thrips than others was one of the questions graduate student Katie Yu investigated."The fragrances given off by flowers are actually complex compounds known as plant volatiles, some of which cannot be detected by...
DAVIS, Calif., May 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- If USDA and the Xerces Society have their way, long rows of native wildflowers, clovers and blooming shrubs could border agricultural fields all across California. Currently the concept is in full bloom at USDA's Plant Materials Center (PMC) near Lockeford, Calif., where the partners hope to demonstrate to farmers and the public both the beauty and the practical benefits of planting forbs such as California poppies, lupines, baby blue eyes,...
Scientists from the US, Turkey, Switzerland and Iran describe the nest of an uncommon solitary beeIn a rare coincidence, researchers working in both Turkey and Iran discovered on the same day how a rare species of bee builds its underground nests. The females from the solitary species Osima (Ozbekosima) avoseta line the nest's brood chambers with petals of pink, yellow, blue, and purple flowers. The chambers provide nutrients for the larvae to grow and mature and protect the next generation...
Latest Pollinators 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...
California Leaf-nosed Bat, Macrotus californicus The California leaf-nosed bat (Macrotus californicus) is common to the United States and Mexico. The range of this leafed nose bat includes New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, and in the scrub habitats located in the Mohave and Sonoran deserts in California. They can also be found in western Mexico. The California leaf-nosed bat is brown in color. It can weigh up to .7 ounces and has a wing span of over eleven inches. The long ears can be up to...
The Mexican long-tongued bat can be found in Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and the United States. The range of this bat extends as far south as Venezuela and in the United States, they can be found in New Mexico, Arizona, and southern California. Baby Mexican long-tongued bats are born with dense fur to keep them warm in their natural habitats located in chilly mountain canyons. With a tongue that can extend up to a third of the entire body length, the long-tongued bat can easily...
Three species in the Acherontia genus make up the group commonly referred to as the Death's-head Hawkmoth. One species is native to Europe, while the other two are found in Asia. These moths are named for their unique skull shaped markings on their thorax and vividly colored abdomens. They are also capable to making loud noises if frightened. These moths will invade beehives for honey and will come and go unharmed because they imitated the scent of the bees. Females will lay green or...
The Bee Hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) is a species of hummingbird, and the smallest of all birds, being only 2 inches long and weighing 1.8 grams (0.06 oz). It is found in Cuba where it is called the Zunzuncito. It is also found on the Isle of Youth. The male has a fiery green throat, iridescent gorget with elongated lateral plumes, bluish upper-parts, and the rest of the underparts mostly grayish white. The female is green above, whitish below with white tips to the outer tail...
