Agency says closing the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center will improve efficiency, but skeptics argue it will undercut research critical to farmers

Photos of bee specimens collected in the Colombian Andes across a nearly 3000 m elevational cline. They are arranged to illustrate both the decline in richness with elevation and the increase in comm...

The warning signs included a web search, a mother’s doubts, and inklings of a “sexist attitude”

Ecology and conservation researchers have diverse goals that often include both personal career aspirations and desires to enhance the well-being of the natural world and its inhabitants. Perception ....

Background Bee bread is composed of a mixture of pollen and nectar used as the main source of proteins and lipids for the development of bee larvae. Despite its important role in honey bee food preser...

Keynote speakers on the opening day of Entomology 2025 emphasized the importance of communication and collaboration in advancing both science and the public understanding of how science affects their…

As of 12:01 AM on October 1, Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress have shut down the government.

Honey bees have a complex social structure, with many factors affecting colony survival. Mathematical models are therefore valuable for understanding how individual variables affect honey bee colony dynamics. Previous honey bee population models have shown that accelerated aging due to stress can lead to colony decline. Our previous work showed that general developmental stress causes a previously undocumented behavior whereby very young workers exit the colony before they can fly, leading them to die prematurely on the ground outside the hive. In this study, we modeled the effects of this premature hive exiting behavior on colony survival. We used parameters from previous studies to inform our model and incorporated empirical data regarding the rate of premature hive exiting behavior driven by various developmental stressors. An equation to link premature exit with accelerated aging was also introduced to mirror population dynamics across different worker age groups. We found that higher rates of premature hive exiting behavior can accelerate colony collapse. A feeding variable (provisioning colonies with extra sugar syrup) and a brood break variable (preventing the queen from laying eggs for a given time period to decrease Varroa mite levels) were added to the model to examine ways to counteract the negative effects of premature hive exiting behavior and to assess their effectiveness at regulating the progression of worker aging. Our results suggest that both supplemental feeding and implementing brood breaks can bring a colony back from the brink of collapse.

Understanding bees, with their extensive morphological, phylogenetic, and behavioral diversity and their significant economic and ecological roles, requires integrating classical and modern scientific methods. Microsatellite (SSR—Simple Sequence Repeat) markers are a low-cost tool useful for various investigations at individual, colony, population, and species levels. However, a comprehensive review on the applications, trends, and Limitations of molecular markers in bee studies is lacking. We aimed to systematize the knowledge about microsatellite markers in bee research, characterize research trends, discuss their applications, and present their advantages and Limitations to address major knowledge gaps across various research themes. Additionally, we aimed to establish a preliminary database of microsatellite primers and their transferability across related species. We conducted a systematic review of research articles on microsatellites and bees published until 2023. Our review included 576 articles from all biogeographical realms, which covered 173 species from 19 families. Apidae (94.1%) and Halictidae (3.4%) were the most frequent bee families in studies, with a strong dominance of Apis and Bombus species, followed by Meliponini species. Future research should include more solitary species and additional species from underrepresented tribes. The reviewed articles spanned 11 research themes, ranging from basic bee biology to applied and multi-disciplinary research, with reproduction, conservation, behavior, evolution, breeding, and beekeeping being the most frequent themes. Microsatellite markers are a suitable choice for most research themes and show a promising trend for continued use in future bee studies.

Habitat loss threatens plant genetic diversity, with consequences for species survival and ecosystem health. This study describes the genetic diversity, st

The Trump administration’s executive orders (EOs) 14281 (1), 14173 (2), and 14151 (3) suggest that diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives give jobs and other...

The American Physical Society is a nonprofit membership organization working to advance physics by fostering a vibrant, inclusive, and global community dedicated to science and society.

Abstract. Bees are palynivorous insects that vary widely in the number of plant families from which they collect pollen. Their evolutionary history has bee

There is a good chance that you already know Sheila Colla: she is a brillian… Anna Penner needs your support for Support Sheila Colla Through Cancer Treatment

Abstract. Management practice decisions are critical for maintaining honey bee, Apis mellifera L., colony health, and the profitability of beekeeping opera

One of the most valuable ways to support pollinators and other invertebrates is to provide them with the shelter they need to survive the winter. Thankfully, all you need to do is do less yard work.

The agency targeted grants focused on diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as research on misinformation.

Lapse may be temporary, but draft budget plans would eliminate service

Amid funding cuts and new limitations, “I don’t have 4 years to hunker down and wait it out,” this postdoc writes

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Quero aprender mais sobre a análise sensorial do mel para fortalecer a meliponicultura, ajudando o setor a valorizar e posicionar melhor esse produto único!

The Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3), is looking for three motivated field technicians to support the research activities of Research Line (RL) 3 on Terrestrial Ecosystems in the context of the ...