Pollinators | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/pollinators/RSS feed for PollinatorsenWed, 25 Mar 2026 14:05:38 +0000How a Small Winter Flower Has Attracted Droves of Admirers—and Offers a Symbol of Resiliencehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-a-small-winter-flower-has-attracted-droves-of-admirersand-offers-a-symbol-of-resilience-180988423/The snowdrop, or Galanthus, blooms when the world is still frozen. Gardeners enamored with the plant gather each year in Pennsylvania to celebrate its subtleties and enduranceWed, 25 Mar 2026 14:05:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-a-small-winter-flower-has-attracted-droves-of-admirersand-offers-a-symbol-of-resilience-180988423/These Parasitic Beetles Mimic the Smell of Flowers So They Can Trick Bees and Raid Their Nests, New Research Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-parasitic-beetles-mimic-the-smell-of-flowers-so-they-can-trick-bees-and-raid-their-nests-new-research-suggests-180988149/They might be the first animals known to fake a floral scentMon, 09 Feb 2026 21:55:55 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-parasitic-beetles-mimic-the-smell-of-flowers-so-they-can-trick-bees-and-raid-their-nests-new-research-suggests-180988149/The American Southwest's Iconic Joshua Trees Are Blooming Early—and Scientists Want Your Help to Figure Out Whyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-american-southwests-iconic-joshua-trees-are-blooming-early-and-scientists-want-your-help-to-figure-out-why-180988069/The spiky desert succulents typically blossom beginning in late February. But this season, many started growing flowers up to four months earlyTue, 27 Jan 2026 15:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-american-southwests-iconic-joshua-trees-are-blooming-early-and-scientists-want-your-help-to-figure-out-why-180988069/Queen Bumblebees' Tongues Aren't Built for Slurping Nectar—Which Might Keep the Royals Homeboundhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/queen-bumblebees-tongues-arent-built-for-slurping-nectar-which-might-keep-the-royals-homebound-180988012/Queen bumblebees have sparser hair on their tongues than worker bees, which makes them less efficient at lapping up nectar, new research suggestsThu, 15 Jan 2026 13:51:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/queen-bumblebees-tongues-arent-built-for-slurping-nectar-which-might-keep-the-royals-homebound-180988012/Trail Cameras in Vermont Captured Something Strange: Moths Sipping a Moose's Tearshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/trail-cameras-in-vermont-captured-something-strange-moths-sipping-a-mooses-tears-180987866/Tear-drinking, known as lachryphagy, has mostly been observed in the tropics, so scientists were somewhat surprised to find the unusual behavior so far northTue, 16 Dec 2025 13:49:10 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/trail-cameras-in-vermont-captured-something-strange-moths-sipping-a-mooses-tears-180987866/Before the First Brilliantly Colored Flowers Bloomed, Dinosaur-Era Plants Emitted Heat to Attract Pollinatorshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/before-the-first-brilliantly-colored-flowers-bloomed-dinosaur-era-plants-emitted-heat-to-attract-pollinators-180987865/Some plants produce heat, which has long puzzled botanists. But a new study suggests that infrared radiation is an ancient method to lure beetle pollinatorsMon, 15 Dec 2025 20:02:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/before-the-first-brilliantly-colored-flowers-bloomed-dinosaur-era-plants-emitted-heat-to-attract-pollinators-180987865/Bees Are Turning the Sticky-Sweet Secretions of Spotted Lanternflies Into Honey—and Some People Love the Smoky-Smelling Stuffhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bees-are-turning-the-sticky-sweet-secretions-of-spotted-lanternflies-into-honey-and-some-people-love-the-smoky-smelling-stuff-180987859/The invasive insects have been spreading across the United States for over a decade, leaving behind poop that bees are transforming into a less sweet, sometimes savory, honeyFri, 12 Dec 2025 16:41:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bees-are-turning-the-sticky-sweet-secretions-of-spotted-lanternflies-into-honey-and-some-people-love-the-smoky-smelling-stuff-180987859/Beavers are Dam Good for Biodiversity, Bringing Bats, Butterflies and Other Critters to Their Neighborhoodshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/beavers-are-dam-good-for-biodiversity-bringing-bats-butterflies-and-other-critters-to-their-neighborhoods-180987717/Two new studies suggest that the semi-aquatic rodents provide food and habitat for bats and pollinator insects within their engineered ecosystemsThu, 20 Nov 2025 23:09:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/beavers-are-dam-good-for-biodiversity-bringing-bats-butterflies-and-other-critters-to-their-neighborhoods-180987717/This Newly Discovered ‘Lucifer’ Bee From Australia Was Named After Its Devil-Like Hornshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/newly-discovered-lucifer-bee-from-australia-named-after-devil-like-horns-180987677/Researchers hope the discovery shines a light on bee conservation Down UnderWed, 12 Nov 2025 21:53:13 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/newly-discovered-lucifer-bee-from-australia-named-after-devil-like-horns-180987677/Colorful Snapdragons in the Valleys of the Pyrenees Offer a Rare Window Into How Evolution Happenshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/colorful-snapdragons-in-the-valleys-of-the-pyrenees-offer-a-rare-window-into-how-evolution-happens-180987673/Studying the ways that magenta and yellow flowers intermingle paints a vibrant picture of how the plants exchange genetic information—and what keeps each color variety uniqueMon, 10 Nov 2025 21:24:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/colorful-snapdragons-in-the-valleys-of-the-pyrenees-offer-a-rare-window-into-how-evolution-happens-180987673/