pollinators
number of breaks: 5
Honeydew: the sweet that can become toxic
Recent studies have demonstrated that insect populations are in decline. These declines represent serious concern because of the valuable ecosystem services provided by beneficial insects, such as pollination, biological control, nutrient cycling, and providing food sources to higher trophic levels in the food web. One... click to read more
Viruses are spilling over from managed honey bees to wild bumble bees
If you are a concerned environmentalist, or even a food-lover (bees produce every three bites of food you eat), you might have considered becoming a beekeeper to help "save the bees". For most, "bees" conjure up an image of a striped yellow and black insect,... click to read more
The busy life of urban bees: a conservation opportunity
Insects such as bees and hoverflies are important pollinators of many wildflowers and crop species. The global value of the services provided by pollinators for crop production is estimated at between US$235 billion and US$577 billion per year. There has been a lot of publicity... click to read more
The use of neonicotinoid pesticides affects wild bee populations
Bees are more than honey-makers. They pollinate crops and hence are key elements in our food production. Honeybees, wild bee species such as bumblebees and solitary bees, butterflies, wasps, and flies, all provide an invaluable work of pollination. In fact, a third of the food... click to read more
A dangerous habit: bees prefer pesticide-contaminated nectar
The impact of pesticides on pollinators is an important factor for the future of world food security, as well as a hotly debated and controversial topic. Pollinating insects like bees help to increase the yields of many food crops but, in doing so, are inadvertently... click to read more
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