Pollinators
Ground-nesting bees on farms lack food, grow smaller
According to a recent study, the size of a common ground-nesting bee — an important crop pollinator — has grown smaller in heavily farmed landscapes. The link between intensive agriculture and the size of Andrena nasonii... more »
Bee Vectoring Technologies announces US patent approvals
Bee Vectoring Technologies International Inc. (BVT) announced it has received a notice of application approval from the U.S patent and trademark office for two of its three pending applications. BVT said it has actively sought... more »
Study: pollinators under threat
A growing number of pollinator species worldwide are being driven toward extinction by diverse pressures, many of them human-made, threatening millions of livelihoods and hundreds of billions of dollars worth of food supplies, according to the first global... more »
How bees can improve production of 2 billion smallholders at no cost
What do cucumbers, mustard, almonds and alfalfa have in common? On the surface very little. But there is one thing they share: they all owe... more »
Pollination of greenhouse vegetables a challenging endeavor
Ben Phillips advocates the pursuit of a number of techniques to successfully pollinate greenhouse vegetables. The Michigan State University Extension educator shared pollination tips with growers at the recent Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm... more »
Study: Manmade causes seen for bee disease
The spread of a disease that is decimating global bee populations is manmade, and driven by European honeybee populations, new research has concluded. A study led by the University of Exeter and UC Berkeley and... more »
USDA creating bee genebank to preserve genetic diversity
The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is organizing a national bee genebank as part of the agency's response to ongoing problems facing the country's beekeepers. Average losses of managed honey bee colonies have increased to more than 30... more »
Study: high pollinator density benefits small farms
Higher numbers of pollinators can significantly increase crop productivity of small-sized farms, according to a paper in the latest issue of “Science.” The study found large farms can... more »
VDACS seeking comments on Pollinator Protection Plan
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) has announced the meeting schedule for the agency’s State Managed Pollinator Protection Plan. VDACS will hold seven meetings around the state to give stakeholders an opportunity... more »
Beekeepers, scientists breed mite-fighting bees
A co-op of beekeepers are working with scientists to breed bees with a specific genetic trait to combat the varroa mite. Beekeepef Jeff Berta had one of his queen bees, No. 18, artificially inseminated by... more »
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