Social or solitary life-histories – some differences
Happy New Year! Last year finished in a rush and with the changes on my site, the last post on […]
Bee Series, Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous
Competition between honey bees and bumblebees
Competition between honey bees and wild pollinators is often an issue between beekeepers and conservationists. In some situations, beekeepers are
Bee Series, Miscellaneous
Diseases – do they influence bees’ pollination abilities?
Try to think of the last time you had a heavy cold. You felt weak and not really motivated to
Bee Series, Miscellaneous
Self-medication in bees – nutrition against parasites
Like any organism, bees have diseases. In honey bees, there are treatments against the Varroa mite. With other diseases, beekeepers
Miscellaneous
Floral ecology – the flower tells you what pollinator to expect
As a student I learned that bumblebee species differ in tongue length and that they visit mainly matching flowers. Since
Miscellaneous
Floral clock: flower rhythms and pollinator activity
Carl Linnaeus invented the floral clock – perhaps not his most famous accomplishment. But it’s a curious thing and, turning
Bee Series, Miscellaneous
Different nutrients for different bees
Bees rely on flowers to get the nutrients they need – both adults and larvae. Looking at bee nutrition more
Bee Series, Miscellaneous
Nectar robbing – feeding without return service
The relationship between bees and flowers is one of the best examples for mutualism: the flowers get pollinated and the
Miscellaneous
Bee friendly plants – do they do their job?
One of the side effects of the attention pollinators get, is that you can buy “bee friendly” plants everywhere. However,
Bee Series, Miscellaneous
Invasive bees – increase of diversity or a threat to native species?
For a long time, there was no awareness for invasive species in general. Europeans brought their familiar domestic animals and