—Air pollution hurts honeybees “Dirty air poses an additional health threat for these important pollinators” Bees are in rapid decline across the globe, stressed by pesticides, diseases, and lack of diverse food sources. Air pollution can now be added to the list of stressors. A new study of honeybees in India finds that air pollution impairs the pollinators’ behavior, survival, and health (Proc.
by Janet Pelley, special to C&EN | August 21, 2020
—Virus May Be Cause Of Honeybee Loss “Chemical stressors may weaken bees' immunity, researchers suggest” BEEKEEPERS have buzzed with speculation about why U.S. honeybee colonies declined by an average of 30% last year. Now, researchers in academia, government, and industry report that a virus may be responsible for what has become known as colony collapse disorder (CCD).
by Rachel Petkewich | September 10, 2007
—Bee Deaths And Seed Treatments “Insecticides: Corn-sowing technique may contribute to honeybee deaths” Particles of insecticides used as seed treatments may deliver a fatal blow to honeybees in cornfields, researchers have found. The scientists say exposure of bees to the insecticides, known as neonicotinoids, may cause honeybee colony losses.
by Melody M. Bomgardner | March 26, 2012
—Orchid's Deception Lures Pollinators “Flowers trick hornets into becoming pollinators by emitting an eicosenol, which mimics the scent of the insects' honeybee prey” Orchids are lovely, but they’re also devious. Last year, researchers reported that European orchids emit a scent similar to that of female bees to attract male bees to pollinate the flowers (C&EN, June 2, 2008, page 15).
by Sophie L. Rovner | August 17, 2009
—Lawn care firm Scotts to stop using neonicotinoids “Concerns about honeybee health prompts firm to reformulate consumer products” Consumer lawn and garden care company Scotts Miracle-Gro says it will stop using neonicotinoid-based pesticides in its Ortho brand products because of concerns over honeybee health.
by Melody M. Bomgardner | April 14, 2016
Honeybees are vital to agriculture as pollinators; could drones provide an alternative? Miyako admits that with the cost of commercial drones at $100 each and the strong operator skills required, it would be costly to do wide-scale pollination this way. “It was very hard work to control the robotic pollinators to precisely hit onto the target sites,” he says.
by Corinna Wu | March 06, 2017
Doan is not alone in facing staggering honeybee losses. Declines in honeybees and other pollinator species have been reported by numerous authorities around the world. Data from the Department of Agriculture, the lead federal agency investigating pollinator declines in the U.S., indicate that the number of commercial honeybee colonies in the U.S. dropped from about 5.9 million in the late 1940s to about 2.5 million in 2011. The Environmental Protection Agency acknowledges that honeybees are in decline, but the agency isn’t convinced that clothianidin or any other pesticide is the only factor responsible. In July, EPA rejected a petition from a coalition of advocacy groups and beekeepers to immediately suspend the use of clothianidin, citing a lack of evidence linking the pesticide to a decline in honeybee populations.
by Britt E. Erickson | October 15, 2012