Bell Bowl Prairie reprieve. Climate change threatens wild bees that blueberries need. The genetic pathway that colors bumble bee stripes. Is propolis the next big bee byproduct?
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Conservation
Bell Bowl Prairie reprieve, Rockford Airport temporarily pauses construction
(WTTW) In a dramatic 11th-hour development, an agreement has been reached to temporarily halt construction activity that would destroy the 8,000-year-old Bell Bowl Prairie remnant, located on Rockford Airport property and targeted for demolition as part of a $50 million expansion of the airfield’s cargo operations. The Natural Land Institute, long-time stewards of Bell Bowl, announced that a deal had been reached through U.S. District Court with the Greater Rockford Airport Authority, its board of commissioners and executive director Michael Dunn. Conservationists are cautiously pleased with the short-term victory but said the fight to save Bell Bowl is far from over, pointing to the airport’s press release, which states: “We anticipate the resumption of the project in the spring of 2022.” The rusty patched bumble bee was observed in Bell Bowl Prairie this past summer.
Conservation dogs may help in search for endangered Franklin’s bumble bee
(The Revelator) Before anyone can protect the bumble bee, they need to make sure it still exists. That’s not an easy task for human eyes, but it could be a piece of cake for a dog’s nose. A six-year-old Australian cattle dog named Filson will soon join the mission to find the endangered Franklin’s bumble bee.
Where have all the insects gone?
(The New Yorker) Scientists who once documented new species of insects are now charting their perilous decline – and warning about what it will mean for the rest of us.
Economics
Climate change threatens wild bees that blueberries need
(Spartan News Room) Extreme weather tied to climate change poses a greater threat than insecticides to the wild bee populations that are essential to Michigan blueberry growers, a recent study says. Blueberries are big business in the state, which grows about 100 million pounds each year, according to Michigan State University Extension.
Renting bees to farms and gardeners keeps Washington company buzzing
(Seattle Times) For just 10 days out of the year, Jim Watts gets a good look at his millions of bees. They arrive to him in Bothell in October in dozens of U.S. Postal Service boxes from all over the country. Growers, from commercial farms to the casual gardener, rent bees from Watts, owner of Rent Mason Bees, to pollinate their crops and gardens.
Oxalic acid applications to honey bee packages: Do they help reduce mites and viruses?
(López-Uribe Lab) Varroa mites are, without a doubt, one of the most difficult challenges for beekeeping management. Treating for mites is tricky. Organic acids (formic and oxalic acid) are among the best and safest tools that beekeepers have available to control mites. In particular, oxalic acid is one of the most commonly used miticide treatments before installing packages in the spring. The question is: does it really make a difference for colony health to treat colonies with miticides in early spring?
Policy/Law
Bees and pesticides drop out of UK Environment Bill
(Buglife) The House of Lords chose not to vote on an amendment that would have put into law a guarantee of an informed pollinator risk assessment prior to any pesticide approval decisions. Having previously voted for improved bee and pollinator protection, the wishes of the House of Lords were rejected by the Conservative Party in the Commons, and the clause ran out of momentum when it came back to the Lords.
Science
Scientists uncover the genetic pathway that colors bumble bee stripes
(Pennsylvania State University) Researchers are finding out more about the role that evolutionary genetics plays in shaping the distinctive color patterns that give different bee species their regional flare. The researchers relied on the Roar supercomputer to provide that computational power for the gene expression studies on the bees.
Bee Richness/Distribution tool update
(Twitter, James Weaver @jrwbees) “New version of the U.S. Bee Richness/Distribution tool available... Feel free to share.”
Society/Culture
Why propolis might be the next big bee byproduct
(Vogue) For centuries honey-related ingredients like propolis have been touted as a magical cure-all. Propolis is considered “bee glue,” a sticky mix that bees collect from plants and buds. Bees use propolis to repair the hive, seal cracks, and create a protective barrier against predators. When it comes to the human body, propolis is considered an aid in gut health, which can affect everything from the skin and the immune system. “Flavonoids, contained in the propolis, can help stimulate the growth and activity of digestive microflora, as well as help the body’s natural detoxification process.”
Is it honey bee or honeybee? Bumble bee or bumblebee? Who decides the common names of bees?
(Bee World) It is easy to be confused because both spellings are frequently encountered. Bee World and Journal of Apicultural Research, like many other entomological journals, have clear rules for the common names of bees based on insect taxonomy. The problem is that many insect common names are also used widely by non-entomologists – and entomological usage and general usage may well diverge over time.
Professor denies accusation that he used ‘swarm of bees’ to scare off home repo agents
(The Irish Sun) A former engineer with six university degrees has denied the claim that he placed a beehive outside his front door in a bid to stop receivers seizing his home over an alleged €545,000 bank debt, a court has heard.
One More Thing…
“Woo hoo! I finished my home office desk!! I burned plywood, then carved out the coast and rivers of bc, from the headwaters of the Yukon to the Skagit, finished with a pourcoat of epoxy, and framed in with burnt oak.” From Jonathan Moore @Jon_W_Moore via Twitter.