Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Maxence Gerard, Emily Baird, Tom Breeze, Christophe Dominik, Denis Michez
Summary: In the context of rapid global change, understanding the impact of environmental stressors on phenotypic variation is crucial. This study assessed the effects of environmental drivers and agricultural intensification on two important pollinator species. The results showed that phenotypic traits can shift in a short period of time after exposure to new field conditions. Latitude and grassland cover were found to partially explain the wing modifications.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Noam Bar-Shai, Uzi Motro, Avishai Shmida, Guy Bloch
Summary: Bumble bees have been expanding their range in Mediterranean climate regions of Israel, which potentially pose a significant competitive pressure on native bees and can lead to changes in the local flora.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alicja Witwicka, Federico Lopez-Osorio, Valentine Patterson, Yannick Wurm
Summary: Global losses of insects caused by insecticides targeting nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) have neurotoxic effects on beneficial insects. Understanding the use and composition of nAChRs is crucial for evaluating and predicting the effects of such insecticides. Our analysis of gene expression data from honey bees and bumble bees reveals spatial and temporal variations in the expression of nAChR subunits. These findings provide a likely mechanism for the damaging effects of nAChR-targeting insecticides on insects and emphasize the importance of considering molecular target variation in risk assessment.
Article
Entomology
Jinjia Liu, Jiangchao Zhang, Jinshan Shen, Huiting Zhao, Weihua Ma, Yusuo Jiang
Summary: This study compared the antennal and behavioral responses of honey bees and bumble bees to tomato flower volatile compounds. The results showed that bumble bees are more sensitive to these compounds compared to honey bees, and honey bees exhibited avoidance behavior towards certain compounds. These findings suggest that flower volatiles significantly influence bee foraging preference for tomato.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Alejandro Trillo, Ignasi Bartomeus, F. Javier Ortiz-Sanchez, Jordina Belmonte, Montserrat Vila
Summary: Over two million commercial bumblebee colonies are used annually worldwide for pollinating various crops, posing a potential risk to wild pollinators due to foraging behaviors outside of greenhouses. A study in southern Spain found high parasite prevalence in commercial Bombus terrestris, with most foraging within 200 m of greenhouses. However, the abundance and diversity of pollinators in natural habitats were not significantly affected by commercial bumblebee presence.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Ash E. Samuelson, Roger Schurch, Ellouise Leadbeater
Summary: The study found that honeybees in urban areas tend to prefer residential areas for foraging, while in agricultural areas they predominantly visit mass-flowering crops. Foraging distances and targets varied between seasons and sites, with the key to maintaining balance being a focus on continuous spatial and temporal provision within agricultural environments.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Samuel Furse, Hauke Koch, Geraldine A. Wright, Philip C. Stevenson
Summary: Understanding the nutrient metabolism and nutritional needs of bees is crucial for agriculture and conservation, as bees play an essential role in pollination and supporting plant diversity. Pollen is the main source of dietary fat and sterols for bees, but the specific essential nutrients and quantities needed are still unknown.
Article
Plant Sciences
Raphael A. Stern, Ada Rozen, Ravit Eshed, Tali Zviran, Isaac Sisai, Amir Sherman, Vered Irihimovitch, Gal Sapir
Summary: Adding bumblebee hives to 'Hass' avocado orchards can increase pollination and yield, with studies showing a positive correlation between bumblebee presence and avocado production.
Article
Biology
Anja Tehel, Tabea Streicher, Simon Tragust, Robert J. Paxton
Summary: A study found that the DWV virus in honeybees can be transmitted to bumblebees, but the reverse transmission from bumblebees to honeybees was not observed. These results indicate the potential risk of viral spillover from honeybees to other bee species when honeybees rob resources from heterospecific nests or visit the same flowers in the field. The study also highlights the importance of understanding the virulence of DWV in wild bee species to assess the impact on individual and population fitness as well as the virus' adaptation to new host species.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Horticulture
Qi Sun, Xingnan Zhao, Lei Wu, Jimin Zhao, Yunfei Yang, Yanwen Zhang
Summary: Different pollinators exhibit varying adaptability to plants, with Bombus terrestris showing significantly higher efficiency in pollination of northern highbush blueberry plants, resulting in increased yield and fruit quality compared to Apis cerana and Apis mellifera. The unique buzz-pollination behavior of B. terrestris contributes to its high effectiveness in pollination, making it a preferential pollinator choice for 'Bluecrop' blueberry in greenhouse settings.
Article
Agronomy
Jinjia Liu, Min Chen, Weihua Ma, Lifang Zheng, Bing Zhang, Huiting Zhao, Yusuo Jiang
Summary: This study investigated the chemical composition of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa 'Red Face') flower volatiles and their effects on honey bees and bumblebees. It found that the volatiles of 'Red Face' were different from other strawberry varieties and that certain compounds elicited antennae and behavioral responses in bees. These findings support the idea that strawberry flower volatiles play a role in bee foraging decisions, and can inform bee pollination strategies to improve strawberry fruit quality.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Ole Kilpinen, Flemming Vejsnaes, Robert Brodschneider
Summary: This comment reanalyzes data from a previous study on bee pollinators, specifically focusing on the competition between honey bees and other pollinators. The authors challenge the findings of the previous study and argue against correlating species richness and honey bee dominance. Through reanalysis of the data, they found no correlation and provide an explanation for why negative relationships were reported. The comment aims to advance understanding and inform future research and policymaking.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Jiangchao Zhang, Jinjia Liu, Fei Gao, Min Chen, Yusuo Jiang, Huiting Zhao, Weihua Ma
Summary: The study identified the volatile compounds in melon flowers grown in facilities and investigated their effects on honeybees and bumblebees. The results showed that these volatiles have an attractive and responsive effect on bees, providing basic data for the rational utilization of bees.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Niels Piot, Oliver Schweiger, Ivan Meeus, Orlando Yanez, Lars Straub, Laura Villamar-Bouza, Pilar De la Rua, Laura Jara, Carlos Ruiz, Martin Malmstrom, Sandra Mustafa, Anders Nielsen, Marika Mand, Reet Karise, Ivana Tlak-Gajger, Erkay Ozgor, Nevin Keskin, Virginie Dievart, Anne Dalmon, Anna Gajda, Peter Neumann, Guy Smagghe, Peter Graystock, Rita Radzeviciute, Robert J. Paxton, Joachim R. de Miranda
Summary: The study reveals that both biotic and abiotic factors, including managed host species, climatic variables, and beekeeping practices, influence the prevalence of viruses in wild bee populations.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Evan C. Palmer-Young, Lindsey M. Markowitz, Kyle Grubbs, Yi Zhang, Miguel Corona, Ryan Schwarz, Yanping Chen, Jay D. Evans
Summary: Trypanosomatid gut parasites are common and costly for social bees. The potential of antimicrobial plant compounds as a treatment for honey bees infected with a widespread intestinal parasite has been explored. Several floral volatiles were found to inhibit the growth of the parasite in vitro, but they also have negative effects on bee survival.
JOURNAL OF INVERTEBRATE PATHOLOGY
(2022)