Planting for Bees

By gardendaze There’s a lot of information out there about planting for butterflies and hummingbirds but there’s less available about planting for bees. I’m not sure why that is–perhaps because until recently we were only thinking about honeybees, which are a managed species, and not perhaps about our hundreds, if not thousands of native bee …

Pesticides give bees a hard time

by joelroher In high doses, a new pesticide impairs the taste and learning capabilities as well as the memory of bees. Credit: Ricarda Scheiner Scientists from the University of Würzburg have investigated the impact of a new pesticide on the honeybee. In high doses, it has a negative impact on the insects’ taste and cognition ability. …

Bavarians vote to save bugs and birds—and change farming

In the face of plummeting insect and bird populations, citizens in the south German state are trying to make farmers preserve habitat. ‘Bee a hero’ A petition for a referendum on preserving the diversity of species — better known as the “save the bees” petition — has gathered the legally required 10 percent of all …

BIOLOGISTS IDENTIFY HONEY BEE “CLEAN” GENES KNOWN FOR IMPROVING SURVIVAL

By THE BEE REPORTFEBRUARY 18, 20192:29 PM Researchers looked for areas that differ between the unhygienic bees (left) and hygienic bees (right). / Photo: York University The key to breeding disease-resistant honey bees could lie in a group of genes – known for controlling hygienic behavior – that enable colonies to limit the spread of harmful …

The EPA found a way to allow the use of a pesticide harmful to bees, again

By Zoë Schlanger AP PHOTO/HATEM MOUSSA (LEFT) Sulfoxaflor impairs bees’ ability to reproduce.The US government is allowing the use of an insecticide linked to declines in bees on two crops that attract bees. The insecticide, made by Dow AgroSciences, is not approved for general use on crops that attract bees because of concerns about its effect on vulnerable bee …

Neonicotinoids Use Restrictions Enacted, Beekeepers Rejoice

Neonicotinoids restrictions enacted in Ontario have beekeepers in Canada rejoicing, and their peers in others regions and nations hopeful for similar legislation. The Ontarioneonicotinoids restrictions state that the chemical pesticides popular with biotech giants like Monsanto will be restricted by 80 percent by 2017. A 2014 Harvard study states that neonicotinoids – the dominant ingredient …

BlackburnNews.com – Researchers Make Headway Against Bee Brood Disease

Ray Baynton on December 18, 2014 8:43am While some are focussing on the impact of neo-nics on bees, University of Guelph researchers are making progress against another pollinator disease.Professor Rob Merrill says American Foulbrood disease is the most widespread and destructive of bee brood diseases.His team has found a toxin released by the pathogen that …