By Kelsey K. Graham Declines in bee populations around the world have been widely reported over the past several decades. Much attention has focused on honey bees, which commercial beekeepers transport all over the U.S. to pollinate crops. However, while honey bees are a vital part of our agricultural system, they are generally considered the […]
A study published in Ecology and Evolution Monday shows that the big changes humans make to the land can have important consequences for some tiny microorganisms honeybees rely on to stay healthy. Honeybees depend on a diverse mix of bacteria—called a microbiome—to turn fresh pollen into bee bread, which is stored in the hive as […]
By Michael T. Luongo The buzz about Detroit has been its resurgent development. Historic buildings are being renovated into bars and hotels as new stadiums rise along Woodward Avenue, the city’s central corridor. But there’s a literal buzz as well: Detroit is home to a healthy population of bees, both wild and domestic. A team […]
With the mass die-off of bees spelling trouble for agriculture, the world’s largest retailer has filed patents for the use of “unmanned vehicles,” or drones, to aid with pollination and crop production. In U.S. Patent Office documents made public last week, Walmart has applied for six patents on drones designed to identify pest damage, spray […]
A new scorecard released Tuesday finds that 20 out of 25 top food retailers fail to protect bees and people from toxic pesticides. The report, Swarming the Aisles II, shows that while supermarkets have made some general commitments to sustainability and social responsibility, most have failed to take steps to reduce pesticide use in their […]
By Clyde Sorenson, Elsa Youngsteadt and Rebecca Irwin The Venus flytrap, Dionaea muscipula, lives in a tough neighborhood. It only grows in 12 counties in coastal North and South Carolina, in soils that are very nutrient-poor and often waterlogged. To augment these starvation resources, it captures and digests insects and other animal prey. Of the […]
Dicamba—a drift-prone herbicide linked to millions of acres of off-target crop damage across in 17 states—destroys mostly everything in its path except the crops that are genetically engineered to resist it. It’s so damaging that several states, including Arkansas, Tennessee and Missouri have introduced temporary bans on the weedkiller. There’s now another reason to worry […]
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded in a new assessment that “most uses” of three widely used neonicotinoids—imidacloprid, clothianidin and thiamethoxam—pose a risk to wild bees and honeybees, which play a crucial role in pollination across the globe. The conclusion, based on analysis of more than 1,500 studies, will likely prompt a total ban […]
Two boys were charged with killing more than a half million bees at a honey business in Iowa last month. “All of the beehives on the honey farm were destroyed and approximately 500,000 bees perished in the frigid temperatures,” Sioux City police said in a release. The suspects, a 12 and 13 year old, allegedly […]
568k 
233k 
41k 
Subscribe 
