Figures show 2024 was the worst year for bumblebees in the UK since records began. Bumblebee numbers declined by almost a quarter compared with the 2010-2023 average, according to data from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. The researchers said the drop was probably due to the cold and wet conditions in the UK last spring. According […]
Tag: bees
High fertiliser use halves numbers of pollinators, world’s longest study finds
Using high levels of common fertilisers on grassland halves pollinator numbers and drastically reduces the number of flowers, research from the world’s longest-running ecological experiment has found. Increasing the amount of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus doused on agricultural grassland reduced flower numbers fivefold and halved the number of pollinating insects, according to the paper by […]
Warming threatens flies more than bees, raising pollination concerns
Life can’t function without insects. At least, not for long. They pollinate, break down waste, cycle nutrients, and touch every node in the web of life, filling endless niches across the planet. As global temperatures continue to rise, some of Earth’s most important but overlooked pollinators, the flies, may be at greater risk than previously […]
Stressed bees make pessimistic choices and may experience emotion-like states, new research suggests
Stressed bees are much more likely to make pessimistic choices and lack a buzz in life, new research has revealed. Scientists at Newcastle University, UK, have found that bumblebees have a response to an adverse event resembling human emotions. Findings published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B show that bees reduce their expectations of […]
7 Ways to Attract Beneficial Insects & Animals to the Garden
An important part of creating a healthy, organic garden space is supporting a well-balanced ecosystem. That can’t be done with the use of pesticides and other biocides because they, by design, create imbalance. There are insects and small animals that feed on unwelcomed garden visitors like aphids and slugs, so if there are no aphids […]
Bats are in trouble. That’s not good for anyone who likes mezcal, rice or avocado
If you’ve ever enjoyed coffee, tomatoes, corn, bananas, mangoes, walnuts, chocolate, tequila or mezcal, you may just owe bats a thank-you. While bats are often the subject of fear and scorn – they’re fixtures in Halloween decor and haunted-house imagery, and are frequently portrayed as harbingers of doom – their presence is often a sign […]
Why Are Bees Making Less Honey?
Since the 1990s, honey yields in the United States have been decreasing, but scientists and honey producers have not known why, according to a press release from Pennsylvania State University (Penn State). Now, a new study by researchers at Penn State has revealed hints as to the reasons behind dwindling honey supplies. “Pollinators are an […]
The Case of the Vanishing Honeybees | Book Review
Every year, somewhere between 30 and 50 percent of all worker honeybees disappear from their hives, never to be seen again, leaving their developing young to die and their queens untended. This disturbing phenomenon, known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), was first identified in the United States, but it is happening all around the world. […]