Bees tasked with flying through a narrow gap will turn sideways to avoid touching the edges, showing that they are aware of how big they are Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2260571-bumblebees-can-fly-sideways-to-fit-through-tight-gaps/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
Tag: bumblebees
Bees stab plants to make them flower
When pollen is scarce, bumblebees pierce the leaves of plants in order to force them to produce flowers more quickly, according to new research. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/bumblebees-stab-plants-to-make-them-flower…
Bumblebees’ ‘Clever Trick’ Fools Plants Into Flowering
Scientists found that when deprived of pollen, bumblebees will nibble on the leaves of flowerless plants to trick them into flowering, sometimes up to 30 days earlier than normal. The BBC reports: Writing in the journal Science, the scientists say they have struggled to replicate the bees’ trick in the laboratory. Scientists in Switzerland found that when the bees were deprived…
Bees force plants to flower early by cutting holes in their leaves
Hungry bumblebees can make plants flower up to a month earlier than usual by cutting holes in their leaves, which may help them adapt to climate change Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2244009-bees-force-plants-to-flower-early-by-cutting-holes-in-their-leaves/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
Pollen-starved bumblebees bite ‘half-moons’ into plants to make them bloom
Scientists don’t yet know when or how the behavior evolved. Source: https://www.livescience.com/bumblebee-bites-make-flowers-bloom-early.html
Moths Have ‘Secret Role’ As Crucial Pollinators, Research Finds
New research suggests moths play a vital role as overnight pollinators of a wide range of flowers and plants. The BBC reports: The study says that the moths’ transport networks are larger and more complex than those of daytime pollinators like bees. The authors believe there is an urgent need to stem declines in moth numbers. “There’s this big misconception that…
April 3 is John Burroughs’ birthday
John Burroughs – born in 1837 – was one of the 1st nature writers. He said: “I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” Source: https://earthsky.org/human-world/this-date-in-science-john-burroughs-birthday…
Climate change is killing off bumblebees in Europe and North America
Climate change has significantly increased the likelihood of bumblebees being driven to extinction in certain regions across North America and Europe Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2232392-climate-change-is-killing-off-bumblebees-in-europe-and-north-america/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…