Dream the impossible dream... of an in-focus bee photo
This week on Twitter, Sarah Johnson @manysarahs opened up about a feeling we've all had at some point – and quite likely continue to have – in our relationship with bees:
"I dream of the day when I am able to capture an in-focus photo of a bumble headed towards me, as opposed to the never-ending stream of butt shots..."
I feel your pain, Sarah.
So if you too are continually trying to stay inspired to achieve that dream, I highly recommend checking out the photo work that Krystle Hickman is sharing on Instagram (@beesip) and Twitter (@BeeSipOnline). A self-described "amateur citizen scientist" who is "slightly obsessed with bees", her images and observations are just amazing.
Enjoy!
The podcast will be back soon with a brand new episode! In the meantime, why not catch up on some previous episodes? Available on Apple, Stitcher, other major platforms and at thebeereport.buzzsprout.com.
Do you have tips, comments, questions or ideas for collaboration? Please send them to tbr@bymattkelly.com.
Conservation
Who likes – and doesn't like – bees?
(The Wildlife Society) A new study found that many people in Phoenix, Arizona, feel either neutral about bees or dislike them but overall don’t see bees as a problem in their yards. The researchers hope their findings can help inform education outreach to citizens in order to help conserve the pollinators. “We were trying to understand who likes bees and who doesn’t.”
Unexpected factors driving bee diversity in restorations
(Twitter, Zach Portman @zachportman) “The results were a little unexpected -- we predicted that higher surrounding agriculture would lead to less diverse bee communities, but that didn't really seem to matter. Instead, the local forb diversity was the most important driver of bee diversity in these restorations.”
Pollinators welcome at Pitt, a new Bee Campus USA member
(Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) The University of Pittsburgh recently became a member of the Bee Campus USA Network, an honor that recognizes its efforts to attract pollinators to campus as part of a larger commitment to sustainable practices. Pitt is the latest of 103 Bee Campus USA affiliates and one of five in Pennsylvania. The other four are Chatham, Penn State and Susquehanna universities and Dickinson College.
Policy/Law
EU has failed to halt decline of bees and butterflies, auditors say
(Reuters) The European Court of Auditors looked at the effectiveness of the European Commission’s framework of measures aimed at protecting species also including wasps and beetles - such as its 2018 pollinators and biodiversity to 2020 initiatives. Such policies do not really help with the protection of pollinators, auditors said. The auditors even found that EU rules on pesticides are a main cause of wild pollinator losses.
ICE: Foreign students must leave the U.S. if their colleges go online-only this fall
(NPR) Foreign students attending U.S. colleges that will operate entirely online this fall semester cannot remain in the country to do so, according to new regulations released Monday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The federal guidance limits options for international students and leaves them with an uncomfortable choice: attend in-person classes during a pandemic or take them online from another country. And for students enrolled in schools that have already announced plans to operate fully online, there is no choice.
Petition to allow F-1 students to stay in U.S.
(Twitter, Rufus Isaacs @msuberrybugs) “12,500 have signed already. Will you be next? Allow F-1 students to stay in the US through the fall semester if instruction is online due to the pandemic.” At the time of posting, over 250,000 people have signed the petition; according to the official White House webpage, a minimum of 100,000 signatures are needed by Aug. 5 to get a response from the White House.
Science
Group genomics drive aggression in honey bees
(University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) Researchers often study the genomes of individual organisms to try to tease out the relationship between genes and behavior. A new study of Africanized honey bees reveals, however, that the genetic inheritance of individual bees has little influence on their propensity for aggression. Instead, the genomic traits of the hive as a whole are strongly associated with how fiercely its soldiers attack.
Mixing of European and African ancestry plays role in ‘killer’ honey bees’ aggressiveness
What causes African hybrid honey bees (AHB), also known as killer bees, to be highly defensive and aggressive? York University researchers have found it was the mixing of African and European genetics that led to hyper-aggression in this invasive strain of honey bees.
Scientists put forward plan to create universal species list
(The Guardian) The 10-point plan aims to end centuries of disagreement and confusion over how to classify the world’s library of life with an authoritative list of the world’s species and a governance mechanism responsible for its quality. Researchers hope a single recognized list would improve global efforts to tackle biodiversity loss, the trade in endangered wildlife, bio security and conservation.
Society/Culture
Entomological Society of America renames student quiz competition
(Entomological Society of America) The Governing Board of the Entomological Society of America has voted to rename its student quiz bowl, previously known as the Linnaean Games, as the “Entomology Games.” In the past several years, the Governing Board has heard from an increasing number of members with concerns about ESA’s student games bearing Linnaeus’ name. The Entomology Games Committee will launch a call for designs for a new Games logo in the near future.