Article
Zoology
Laura E. Brettell, Stephen J. Martin, Markus Riegler, James M. Cook
Summary: Island ecosystems containing undescribed insects and single island endemics are at risk from diverse threats, with pathogen spread being a major factor. Introductions of infected managed pollinators, long-range migrants, and invasive species can negatively affect island ecosystems, posing a significant threat to island pollinator communities.
JOURNAL OF INVERTEBRATE PATHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Ida M. Conflitti, Mohammad Arshad Imrit, Bandele Morrison, Sapna Sharma, Sheila R. Colla, Amro Zayed
Summary: With the increase in urbanization, it is crucial to design cities in a way that supports and improves biodiversity and ecosystem services. Native bees, such as the Common Eastern Bumblebee, have experienced significant declines and there is a growing interest in protecting pollinators and their habitats in cities. However, there is limited research on specific features of urban environments that can enhance the survival of pollinators. This study carried out a detailed investigation in Toronto to understand the landscape parameters that provide high-quality habitat for bumblebees and suggests planning strategies to enhance habitat quality for bumblebees and other pollinators in cities.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Jeremy A. A. Hemberger, Nick M. M. Rosenberger, Neal M. M. Williams
Summary: Heatwaves have a negative impact on bumblebee foraging behavior and plant rewards, which can have serious consequences for bumblebee colonies and pollination services.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Timothy Weekers, Leon Marshall, Nicolas Leclercq, Thomas James Wood, Diego Cejas, Bianca Drepper, Louise Hutchinson, Denis Michez, Jean-Marc Molenberg, Guy Smagghe, Peter Vandamme, Nicolas J. Vereecken
Summary: The study found that the dominance of honey bees is significantly and negatively associated with wild bee diversity, regardless of local management practices. Semi-natural habitats have a positive impact on functional diversity of wild bees, while urbanization and crop cover around orchards have no effect on diversity metrics. In locations with high honey bee dominance, a greater number of bee species exhibit less common combinations of functional traits, especially larger bee species with longer tongues.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Thomas P. Timberlake, Ian P. Vaughan, Mathilde Baude, Jane Memmott
Summary: This study emphasizes the importance of considering the phenology of resources when designing measures to support pollinators. Late summer appears to be a resource bottleneck for bumblebees in UK farmland, and management strategies that increase late-summer nectar availability may be the most effective. These strategies include adjusting mowing regimes to delay flowering of field margins until September, planting late-flowering cover crops such as red clover, and supporting late-flowering wild plant species such as Hedera helix. Additionally, the results suggest that rural gardens may play an important role in supporting farmland bumblebee populations.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Rosemary L. Malfi, Quinn S. McFrederick, Giselle Lozano, Rebecca E. Irwin, Lynn S. Adler
Summary: Community diversity can impact disease dynamics, and sunflower plantings have been found to reduce prevalence of a common gut pathogen and increase reproduction in bumblebee colonies. Sunflower abundance was positively associated with decreased infection intensity of the pathogen and higher queen production in colonies. This study highlights the potential of using sunflower plantings as a tool for mitigating pathogens and promoting the reproduction of agriculturally important bee species.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
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
Immunology
Karen Power, Gennaro Altamura, Manuela Martano, Paola Maiolino
Summary: The Oriental hornet is spreading across Italy and acting as a mechanical vector for honeybee viruses, including DWV, ABPV, BQCV, KBV, and SBV. This study suggests that the hornet may transmit these viruses through predation and cannibalization of infected honeybees and larvae.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Tsunashi Kamo, Aoi Nikkeshi, Tomoya Tawaratsumida, Yoshihiro Tanaka, Shoko Nakamura, Shigeki Kishi
Summary: This study investigated the species composition and pollination efficiency of pollinators in delayed-start cultivation of kabocha squash in southwestern Japan. The results showed that bumblebees were more efficient pollinators at the individual level, but the numerous visits by honeybees compensated for their lower efficiency and resulted in fruit set. In addition, this study reported for the first time that a lepidopteran, the hummingbird hawkmoth, can also pollinate squash.
APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
S. M. Williams, N. Aldabashi, C. Palego, J. L. Woodgate, J. C. Makinson, P. Cross
Summary: This study demonstrates the development of a neural network algorithm to determine a bee's flight path within six measurements as it leaves the nest. Comparing neural network with other models showed improved results, providing a new approach to monitoring bee flight.
COMPUTERS AND ELECTRONICS IN AGRICULTURE
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Ruxu Li, Xi Huang, Xilian Xu, Su Wang, Yuting Yang, Ning Di, Hu Li, Lixia Tian
Summary: Insect pollination is a vital process for the natural ecosystem and crop reproduction. Bumblebees, especially Bombus terrestris, are widely used pollinators for crops such as tomato. The efficiency of bee pollination is influenced by various factors, including bee species, plant nutrition, and herbivores like Bemisia tabaci. This study found that B. terrestris preferred tomato plants damaged by B. tabaci, and identified specific plant volatiles induced by B. tabaci that significantly attracted B. terrestris.
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Giovanni Cilia, Laura Zavatta, Rosa Ranalli, Antonio Nanetti, Laura Bortolotti
Summary: The study found that the common honey bee pathogen DWV is prevalent in bumblebees and may cause wing deformities. Deformed adults had higher copies of replicative DWV and showed viral infection in their heads. Further research is needed to determine if a specific organ could be a target in symptomatic bumblebees.
VETERINARY SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Charlotte Descamps, Anne Jambrek, Muriel Quinet, Anne-Laure Jacquemart
Summary: In the context of climate warming, alterations in plant pollination and reproductive success due to increased air temperatures constitute a significant issue. Higher temperatures negatively affect floral traits and rewards, leading to reduced flower visitation by pollinators, which could in turn decrease plant pollination rates and reproductive success under global temperature increases caused by climate change.
Article
Ecology
Anna C. Fagre, Lily E. Cohen, Evan A. Eskew, Max Farrell, Emma Glennon, Maxwell B. Joseph, Hannah K. Frank, Sadie J. Ryan, Colin J. Carlson, Gregory F. Albery
Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns about the transmission of pathogens from humans to animals. However, the number of verified transmission events is limited and the threat to animal and human health is not substantial. The existing literature has limitations, including sampling bias and underreporting of human parasites in wildlife, which hinder our ability to assess the risk of human-to-wildlife pathogen transmission.
Article
Biology
Florian Straub, Markus Birkenbach, Sara D. Leonhardt, Fabian A. Ruedenauer, Jonas Kuppler, Lena Wilfert, Manfred Ayasse
Summary: Bees in agricultural landscapes are faced with various stressors, including insecticides and poor-quality food. This study found that a combination of insecticides and nutritional stress can negatively impact the health of bumblebees at both individual and colony levels, potentially affecting colony performance and the stability of plant-pollinator networks.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Janine Griffiths-Lee, Elizabeth Nicholls, Dave Goulson
ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Laura L. Figueroa, Heather Grab, Wee Hao Ng, Christopher R. Myers, Peter Graystock, Quinn S. McFrederick, Scott H. McArt
Article
Ecology
Peter Graystock, Wee Hao Ng, Kyle Parks, Amber D. Tripodi, Paige A. Muniz, Ashley A. Fersch, Christopher R. Myers, Quinn S. McFrederick, Scott H. McArt
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Cristina Botias, Julia C. Jones, Tobias Pamminger, Ignasi Bartomeus, William O. H. Hughes, Dave Goulson
Summary: Bumblebees exposed to combinations of stressors, including pesticides and pathogens, exhibit detrimental effects on individual and colony health, leading to reduced food collection, colony growth, and brood production. Understanding the interactions between different stressors is crucial for managing bee populations and maintaining pollination services in the future.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Claus Rasmussen, Yoko L. Dupont, Henning Bang Madsen, Petr Bogusch, Dave Goulson, Lina Herbertsson, Kate Pereira Maia, Anders Nielsen, Jens M. Olesen, Simon G. Potts, Stuart P. M. Roberts, Markus Arne Kjaer Sydenham, Per Kryger
Summary: The study identified and summarized forage plants for honey bees and wild bee species in Denmark, finding that they share 176 plant genera. Although no significant relationship was found between the overlap of honey bees and wild bees and their forage specialization or conservation status, data for individual species could be summarized.
Article
Ecology
Christopher R. Mackin, Dave Goulson, Maria Clara Castellanos
Summary: The research found that nectar robbing significantly reduced visitation rates and visit durations by bumblebees, leading to a decrease in seed production in flowers subjected to robbing.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
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)
Letter
Ecology
Robin Mesnage, Edward A. Straw, Michael N. Antoniou, Charles Benbrook, Mark J. F. Brown, Marie-Pierre Chauzat, Robert Finger, Dave Goulson, Ellouise Leadbeater, Ana Lopez-Ballesteros, Niklas Mohring, Peter Neumann, Dara Stanley, Jane C. Stout, Linzi J. Thompson, Christopher J. Topping, Blanaid White, Johann G. Zaller, Elena Zioga
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Janine Griffiths-Lee, Elizabeth Nicholls, Dave Goulson
Summary: Habitat loss and fragmentation are severe threats to pollinator decline, with 97% of wildflower meadows lost in England and Wales. Creating flower-rich margins in agricultural environments is effective, and there is growing potential to support pollinators in urban landscapes.
JOURNAL OF INSECT CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Monika Yordanova, Sophie E. F. Evison, Richard J. Gill, Peter Graystock
Summary: This review examines the likelihood and implications of co-exposure to brood pathogen and pesticide stressors in bee larvae, highlighting the routes of potential co-exposure and the impact of pesticides on brood disease morbidity. The study also discusses the bias in brood research towards Apis species and its implications for risk assessment in wild bee communities.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Nicholas J. Balfour, Maria Clara Castellanos, Dave Goulson, Andrew Philippides, Chris Johnson
Summary: Researchers have created one of the world's first online, open-access, and searchable databases of pollinator-plant interactions. The database contains over 101,000 records, documenting more than 320,000 interactions, and can be used to answer ecological and conservation-related questions.
Article
Entomology
Janine Griffiths-Lee, Balin Davenport, Bradley Foster, Elizabeth Nicholls, Dave Goulson
Summary: Planting perennial wildflowers or allowing natural regeneration in vineyards can increase floral abundance and diversity, supporting beneficial insects and their pollination activities. This simple and effective approach can be widely adopted in British viticulture to enhance biodiversity in vineyards.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Daniel Kenna, Peter Graystock, Richard J. Gill
Summary: Climate change and agricultural intensification are affecting insect pollinators through temperature extremes and increased pesticide usage. However, the quantification of temperature's influence on the sublethal effects of pesticides on essential behaviors for fitness and pollination is lacking. It is important to understand how warming affects different pesticide impacts and behaviors for accurate pesticide risk assessment and pollinator conservation.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Elizabeth Nicholls, Janine Griffiths-Lee, Parthiba Basu, Soumik Chatterjee, Dave Goulson
Summary: Urban food production can contribute to sustainable food provision and the health of urban residents, as well as benefit biodiversity. However, there is limited research on urban pollinator populations. This study found a diverse range of insects visiting urban allotments and pollinating crops, with certain crops attracting more visitors. Natural pollination of strawberries resulted in lower quality fruit compared to hand-pollination, highlighting the need to improve urban crop pollination through habitat provision for insects.
PLANTS PEOPLE PLANET
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Peter Lampert, Dave Goulson, Daniel Olsson, John Piccolo, Niklas Gericke
Summary: In this paper, the Action Competence for Insect Conservation (ACIC) framework is developed as a tool for improving education and citizen action for insect biodiversity conservation. The ACIC aims to bridge the gap between knowledge and action implementation by fostering peoples' action-oriented knowledge, confidence, and willingness to take action. It covers not only actions in private greenspaces but also emphasizes the importance of actions that involve others in the community and relevant stakeholders.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2023)