Bees

It's a sad fact that even though bees are essential to pollinating crops, they're also harmed by the pesticides used on those very same plants. Thanks to a new discovery, however, a bee-friendly pesticide could soon be cheaper and easier to produce.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved the world's first insect vaccine, developed to protect honeybees from a devastating bacterial disease known to decimate entire hives.

Striking new research suggests the lifespan of honey bees kept in controlled laboratory conditions is 50% shorter than what was seen in the 1970s. The researchers hypothesize genetic changes in bees may be responsible for the shorter lifespans.

Studies have shown that synthetic chemicals can harm the bees that are vital to the pollination of plants. New research now indicates that fertilizers disrupt bees' ability to identify flowers, reducing the likelihood of the insects landing on them.

New research shows that swarms of insects like bees and locusts can actually produce atmospheric electric charges. By measuring the extent of this influence, the team found that large swarms could produce as much charge as a storm cloud.

We've heard about robots that communicate with one another via wireless networks, in order to collaborate on tasks. Sometimes, however, such networks aren't an option. A new bee-inspired technique gets the bots to "dance" instead.

In an effort to create some buzz for the recent World Bee Day, an Italian beekeeper has built a "Air bee and bee" tiny house-style dwelling. Installed in an olive garden, the basic-but-novel shelter has a beehive integrated into its ceiling.

A team of scientists at the University of California, Riverside is studying a species of "vulture bee" that has swapped a vegetarian diet for carrion meat by developing an extra tooth and gut bacteria similar to that found in vultures and hyenas.

A new study has found caffeine can be used to help bees locate specific flowers. The research suggests the drug enhances bee memory and makes them more efficient at homing in on certain targeted flowers.

As honeybees collect pollen and nectar from flowers, they repeatedly bend and straighten their abdomens – yet with a minimal amount of friction. Scientists have discovered what makes this possible, and it could have applications in human technology.

A number of factors are contributing to declining bee populations, but a tiny new ingestible particle developed at Cornell University takes aim at a key one, by detoxifying deadly insecticides before they can do these important critters harm.

Along with things like drought and habitat loss, the widespread use of pesticides is a huge driving force behind dwindling bee numbers, and a new study has shone further light on the effects of the most common one of all.