Bees

The expansion of the western honeybee gave rise to seven other lineages and 28 subspecies.

Genetic Analysis Reveals the Origins of the World's Most Common Honeybee Species

The western honeybee hailed from western Asia seven million years ago, ending the contentious debate over where these buzzy critters originated

To identify what bacteria lives in the stomachs of vulture bees and how it compares to other bee species, researchers set up 16 bait stations with roughly two ounces of raw chicken hung from branches 4.9 feet off the ground.

Why Vulture Bees Prefer Rotting Flesh Over Pollen

The insects' gut microbiomes contained acid-loving bacteria that help digest meat

Aside from making the eerie noise, the signal causes more bees to gather at the hive's entrance and begin other defense actions against the hornets. Like smearing dung around the hive and forming "bee balls " swarm and kill incoming hornets.  

Listen to Asian Honeybees 'Shriek' When Murder Hornets Are Nearby

The bees will sound the alarm against invaders by vibrating their wings to make a noise akin to high-pitched scream

Real guppies respond to Robofish—a 3D-printed plastic model with a vaguely realistic paint job—as if it were a real schoolmate. Researchers used different-sized Robofish to show that guppy schools tend to follow larger fish.

How Scientists Are Using Robotic Animals to Learn About Real Ones

Biomimetic bots can teach researchers a lot about how creatures interact in the natural world

Not just food: Plant chemicals within nectar yield honey that packs a pharmaceutical punch and helps keep bees healthy.

Honey Has Numerous Health Benefits for Bees

From pesticide detox to increased longevity, the pros of the sweet stuff go well beyond simply nourishing the hardworking insects in the hive

All mollusks build their own shells.

How Do Snails Get Their Shells? And More Questions From Our Readers

You've got questions. We've got experts

American bumblebees are a vital pollinator for wildflowers and crops, and their decline could have severe consequences for the environment.  

The American Bumblebee Has Nearly Vanished From Eight States

In two decades, the insect's population has declined by nearly 90 percent due to a combination of threats, including habitat loss, pesticides and diseases

Earlier this summer, to keep the invasive insect contained, the Washington State Department of Transportation announced that they would set up 1,200 giant hornet traps across the state.

The First Living Asian Giant 'Murder' Hornet of 2021 Has Been Found in Washington State

The sighting was reported two miles from where officials found a nest in October 2020

A photo of the Asian giant hornet specimen found near Marysville, Washington.

Dead 'Murder Hornet' Found North of Seattle

The dried out male hornet is 2021's first confirmed sighting of the Asian giant hornet, but scientists say the corpse doesn't look fresh

Researchers found low levels of radiation from Cold War nuclear tests in local honey produced in the Eastern United States.

Fallout From Cold War Nuclear Testing Detected in U.S. Honey

The radiation found doesn't represent a health risk for humans, but it might impact bees

As many commercial operators and homeowners are shifting to LEDs, which tend to fall somewhere in the blue-white spectrum, the new results may have important implications beyond tropical rainforests.

Using Amber-Filtered Bulbs Instead of White Light Attracts Fewer Bugs

In a tropical rainforest study, 60 percent fewer insects visited traps illuminated in a golden glow. Researchers say the results may be widely applicable

The study analyzes thousands of records to understand how many species of bees are spotted by scientists each year.

Thousands of Wild Bee Species Haven't Been Seen Since 1990

Between 2006 and 2015, researchers worldwide observed 25 percent fewer bee species than they had before 1990

One specimen of the ultra-black fish species Anoplogaster cornuta.

Ten Scientific Discoveries From 2020 That May Lead to New Inventions

From soaring snakes to surfing suckerfish, nature is an endless source of inspiration

Asian honey bees applying animal feces at the entrance of their hives to ward off attacks from hornets.

Asian Bees Plaster Hives With Feces to Defend Against Hornet Attacks

Researchers say the surprising behavior could constitute tool use, which would be a first for honey bees

An entomologist with the Washington State Department of Agriculture vacuums invasive Asian giant hornets out of a nest discovered last week in the city of Blaine on October 24, 2020.

Entomologists Destroy Asian Giant Hornet Nest Found in Washington

The crew sucked nearly 100 hornets from the tree-hollow hive—the first ever found in the U.S.—using a vacuum and captured escapees with nets

Agricultural officials in Washington state said Friday, Oct. 2, 2020 they are trying to find and destroy a nest of Asian giant hornets believed to be near the small town amid concerns the hornets could kill honey bees crucial for pollinating raspberry and blueberry crops.

First Live ‘Murder Hornet’ Captured in the U.S.

Scientists aim to eradicate Asian giant hornet nests in the next few weeks so that the insects do not establish a population on the West Coast

A wild bumble bee seen pollinating a blueberry bush.

Wild Bees Are Worth $1.5 Billion for Six U.S. Crops

Study also finds that crop yields are often limited by a lack of pollinators

Jenni Cena, pest biologist and trapping supervisor from the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), checks a trap designed to catch Asian giant hornets on July 29, 2020.

Scientists Capture First Murder Hornet in Washington State

It’s a step in the direction of eliminating the invasive species, experts say

A thick cloud of smoke floats up from the Notre-Dame Cathedral as it burns, on April 15, 2019.

Lead From Notre-Dame Fire Discovered in Parisian Beehives

The findings indicate that honey can provide important evidence of environmental pollution, scientists say

Mathematically speaking, the honeycombs grow like crystals.

Scientists Crack the Mathematical Mystery of Stingless Bees' Spiral Honeycombs

The waxy architectural wonders seem to grow like crystals

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