Wildfire bees on the brink
The number of threatened Australian native bee species is expected to increase by nearly five times after the devastating Black Summer bushfires in 2019-20, new research led by Flinders University has found......»»
Deforestation harms biodiversity of the Amazon"s perfume-loving orchid bees
A survey of orchid bees in the Brazilian Amazon state of Rondônia, carried out in the 1990s, is shedding new light on the impact of deforestation on the scent-collecting pollinators, which some view as bellwethers of biodiversity in the neotropics......»»
Single-crop farming has potential to harm bees, study finds
Mass-blooming, monoculture crop fields don't seem to reduce the microbial diversity in a bee's gut, University of Oregon researchers have found in a study of sunflower farms, but they do amplify the spread of infectious parasites......»»
Greece raises wildfire alert level after spate of blazes
Greece on Sunday raised its wildfire alert level to "high risk" after dozens of blazes broke out, the civil protection ministry said......»»
Automated bioacoustics: Researchers are listening in on insects to better gauge environmental health
Recent research led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst evaluates how well machine learning can identify different insect species by their sound, from malaria-carrying mosquitoes and grain-hungry weevils to crop-pollinating bees and sap-suckin.....»»
Satellite data shows how drought changes wildfire recovery in the West
A new study using NASA satellite data reveals how drought affects the recovery of western ecosystems from fire, a result that could provide meaningful information for conservation efforts......»»
Behavior of ant queens found to be shaped by their social environments
The queens in colonies of social insects, such as ants, bees, and wasps, are considered the veritable embodiment of specialization in the animal kingdom......»»
New study reveals unintended consequences of fire suppression
The escalation of extreme wildfires globally has prompted a critical examination of wildfire management strategies. A new study from the University of Montana reveals how fire suppression ensures that wildfires will burn under extreme conditions at h.....»»
Research finds honey bees may be at risk for colony collapse from longer, warmer fall seasons
The famous work ethic of honey bees might spell disaster for these busy crop pollinators as the climate warms, new research indicates......»»
Research reveals global wildfire risk trends in wildland–urban interface areas
Wildfires present complex socio-economic and ecological challenges, as they devastate vegetation, endanger communities, and cause extensive environmental, wildlife, and human health impacts. These consequences include severe air pollution and soaring.....»»
Researchers use an edible blue-green algae to protect honey bees against viruses
Scientists at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have developed an edible antiviral treatment that can be used to protect honey bees against deformed wing virus (DWV) and other viruses, according.....»»
Planet "on the brink", with new heat records likely in 2024: UN
Global temperatures "smashed" heat records last year, as heat waves stalked oceans and glaciers suffered record ice loss, the United Nations said Tuesday—warning 2024 was likely to be even hotter......»»
Not just humans: Bees and chimps can also pass on their skills
Bumblebees and chimpanzees can learn skills from their peers so complicated that they could never have mastered them on their own, an ability previously thought to be unique to humans, two studies said on Wednesday......»»
Honey bees are surprisingly abundant, research shows—but most are wild, not managed in hives
There are roughly 100 million managed western honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies in hives worldwide, with about half in Europe, Africa and western Asia, where the species is native, and the rest in the Americas, Oceania and eastern Asia, where it is.....»»
A gentle tap to the hive can reveal health of honeybee colonies, study confirms
Scientists at Nottingham Trent University investigated how thousands of bees reacted in unison to a very short and weak vibrational knock delivered at randomized times to a number of hives......»»
Secrets in the canopy: Scientists discover 8 striking new bee species in the Pacific
After a decade searching for new species of bees in forests of the Pacific Islands, all we had to do was look up......»»
Rain offers slight reprieve from largest wildfire in history of Texas
Rainfall offered some reprieve from the largest wildfire in the history of Texas, officials said Friday, though dry, gusty conditions were expected to return this weekend for a blaze that has killed two people and scorched a million acres......»»
Winds threaten to fuel huge Texas wildfire as blizzard hits California
Gusty weekend winds were threatening to worsen a million-acre wildfire that has already killed two people in the southern US, as a monster blizzard engulfed California's mountains Friday......»»
Texas battling largest wildfire in its history
Texas emergency crews were struggling Thursday to contain the largest wildfire in the US state's history, with the blaze leaving at least one person dead and scorching a million acres as it raged out of control......»»
How did a tiny bee get to French Polynesia? Eight new species help solve a scientific mystery
In 1934, American entomologist Elwood Zimmerman, then an undergraduate student at Berkeley, participated in the "Mangarevan expedition" to Polynesia. Among the samples he collected were three tiny (4 mm long), orange-brown solitary bees found on tahe.....»»
New evidence shows UK solar parks can provide for bees and butterflies
A new study shows that U.K. solar parks, if managed correctly, can provide vital resources to help stem the decline in the nation's bees and butterflies......»»