I have spoken to people with bees and it seems that you can develop bee allergies even if not allergic, too many stings and over time your body can develop a form of Anaphylaxis as a reaction to far too many collected stings over time.
Anaphylaxis UK
https://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/fact-she … -the-facts
Anyone can become allergic to an insect sting. You are more at risk of a serious allergy if you are stung often or have multiple stings.
100 Million Dollars Spent
Australia abandons efforts to eradicate deadly parasite varroa mite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqhvkRZ1oDo
damages of 5.2 Billion Dollars damage expected if unchecked and the alien pest is expected to stay
As Varroa spreads, now is the time to fight for Australia’s honey bees – and you can help
https://theconversation.com/as-varroa-s … elp-223204
A tiny foe threatens Australian beekeepers’ livelihood, our food supply and the national economy. First detected in New South Wales in 2022, the Varroa mite is now established in Australia.
The parasitic mite, which feeds on honey bees and transmits bee viruses, has since spread across New South Wales.
It is expected to kill virtually all unmanaged honey bees living in the bush (also known as “feral” honey bees), which provide ecosystem-wide pollination.
'Why do wasps have "wasp waists"? What's been optimized?'
]]>Urban Bees Flaunt Larger Brains, A Study Finds
https://bnn.network/world/spain/urban-b … udy-finds/
Scientists at the Doñana Biological Station in Spain have recently made a breakthrough discovery that could change our understanding of insect intelligence. In a study involving 335 bees from 89 species across Europe and North America, they found that bees living in urban environments possess larger brains relative to their body size compared to their rural counterparts. This discovery lends credence to the ‘cognitive buffer’ theory, suggesting that larger brains offer animals enhanced cognitive flexibility, equipping them to adapt to dynamically changing environments like cities.
The Varroa mites originally only occurred in Asia, on the Asian honeybee, the mites are vectors for at least five and possibly up to 18 debilitating bee viruses, including RNA viruses such as the deformed wing virus.
It has been confirmed to be present throughout North America excluding Greenland, South America, most of Europe and Asia, and portions of Africa, until recently the species was not present in Australia
Australia is the last continent to be invaded by varroa mite and has an opportunity to be the first to eradicate it
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-06/ … /102808910
Bee-killing mite's rapid spread could cost Australia billions
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/environmen … te-spread/
https://news.yahoo.com/bees-butterflies … 52520.html
Bees of the World: A Guide to Every Family
https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardc … -the-world
Examines more than 100 genera of bees, giving a taste of the remarkable breadth of bee appearance and biology
'Cyclone damage shows New Zealand’s beekeepers are unprepared for climate change'
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/ … ate-change
How "bee lawns" could help bring pollinators to your yard
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/video … your-yard/
All About Pollinators: What They Are and How to Support Them
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/pollina … 09125.html
Pollinators are an integral part of any ecosystem. Pollinators encourage plant growth and assist with maintaining diversity in the landscape. The vast majority of plants require some amount of pollination. Agriculture is especially dependent upon bees to pollinate the blossoms of trees and plants that produce fruits, vegetables, and nuts, and agriculture is a crucial component in both the food supply and the economy.
Common Pollinators in the U.S.
There are a number of common pollinators in the United States, and they are found in a wide variety of habitats, including rural and urban areas.
Monarch butterflies: Considered endangered now due to dwindling numbers, these once-plentiful butterflies are considered one of the most important pollinators. They enjoy milkweed, Asclepius (butterfly weed), and buddleia (butterfly bush), and planting these in your garden can provide important food sources for them.
Butterflies: Many varieties of butterflies are effective and beautiful pollinators. Some are attracted to very specific plants. Most butterfly species are declining in number mainly due to loss of habitat, so planting butterfly-friendly plants may be crucial to their survival.
Hummingbirds: Beautiful to watch, these elusive yet playful birds enjoy visiting a number of flowers including Agastache (hummingbird mint), nepeta (flowering catmint),
Bats: Bats are shy nocturnal creatures that eat many annoying insects (like mosquitoes) and generally benefit the local ecosystem a great deal. You can put a bat house in your garden to attract them. Though they behave a bit like birds, bats are actually mammals. They are important pollinators for certain food crops, including durian, dragonfruit, and African locust beans.
Beetles: Though some beetles, such as Japanese beetles or red lily beetles, can be pests in the garden, many of them are good pollinators.
Beetles are known to be some of the earliest pollinators on earth, due to there being such a large number of beetle species in the prehistoric era. They also tend to chew leaves as part of their pollinating process.
Wasps: Though their stinging ways can make them a nuisance, wasps still manage to be very effective pollinators.
Bees: There are many types of helpful pollinating bees, including honeybees, carpenter bees, sweat bees, bumblebees, and others.
Moths: Similar to butterflies, many moths are nocturnal and will pollinate plants after dark. Moth larvae are also important sources of food for many birds, bats, frogs, toads, and lizards, forming a crucial part of a healthy ecosystem.
Mosquitoes: Yes, these biting machines and vectors for spreading disease are actually good for something: pollinating!
Flies: Perhaps not everyone's favorite insect, flies are nevertheless useful as pollinators for a wide variety of plants. Flies also breed quickly, so the density of their numbers makes them common pollinators in many areas.
Lizards: In some areas, like islands with unique ecosystems, lizards become very important pollinators, as important as birds and insects. Other Pollinating
Mammals: In addition to a variety of bat species, there are a few other mammals that serve as pollinators, including certain types of shrews, possums, lemurs, and flying foxes
]]>another news item from popular science could fit in some of our Anicent Earth, Dinosaur, Asteroid, Pre-History threads
The world’s earliest bees may have called Gondwana home
https://www.popsci.com/environment/bee- … -gondwana/
The land mass began to break apart about 180 million years ago
Bee Phenology: How Are Bees Feeling the Heat?
https://magazine.scienceconnected.org/2 … -the-heat/
Asian hornet numbers 'absolutely crazy' this year - with beer an unlikely temptation
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/a … y-30370901
Asian hornets are an incredibly aggressive insect predator that are an invasive species
old article on Honey and Beer
'6 of the Best Honey Beers'
https://www.hopculture.com/best-honey-b … s-braggot/
I can’t really remember the first time I drank a beer brewed with honey. Clearly, I wasn’t wowed by the experience. I should clarify that honey is a tricky ingredient — balancing the sticky sweetness is no easy task.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/65831555
Insects, like bees and butterflies, pollinate plants when they go from flower to flower
]]>People on Mars might need a Beesuit?
bullet dodging bees
https://twitter.com/ABC7/status/1658331994806419458
An LAPD volunteer officer was stung dozens of times and lost his footing as he was assisting with the response to a bee swarm in Encino
Some beekeepers provide a pollination service to other farmers. These beekeepers might not produce any honey for sale. Pollination beekeepers move vast quantities of honey bee hives at night so fruits and vegetables have enough pollinating insects available for maximum levels of production. In 2016, almonds accounted for 86% of all U.S. expenditures on pollination services.For the service of maintaining strong colonies of bees and moving them into crops such as almonds, apples, cherries, blueberries, melons, and squash, these beekeepers are usually paid a cash fee.
]]>What native plants attract pollinators in Quebec?
https://davidsuzuki.org/living-green/wh … in-quebec/
Quebec has a variety of unique and important pollinators that maintain the province’s natural systems and economy.