Waiting, waiting, waiting...
My original plan for this week’s newsletter was to do a brief analysis of how some of the most pressing issues related to the well-being and future of our bee populations – climate change, habitat preservation and fragmentation, pesticide regulation and use, the support and funding of basic science – would likely be addressed by the winner of the U.S. presidential election. Which was a way more hopeful plan than a realistic one. So…
At the time of writing, the winner remains undecided. I know who I would like the next president to be. I know which candidate would be, far and away, the better choice for tackling these pressing issues. But sometimes democracy does require patience. So for the moment, we wait – resolutely and with much anticipation – for each and every ballot to be counted.
Hang in there, friends.
Cartoon by Victor Solis.
Conservation
Leafcutter bees as plastic recyclers? Not a good idea
(Utah State University) Plastic has become ubiquitous in modern life and its accumulation as waste in the environment is sounding warning bells for the health of humans and wildlife. Previously, researchers have noted leafcutter bees were using plastic waste to construct their nests, and they suggested such behavior could be an “ecologically adaptive trait” and a beneficial recycling effort. However, just because bees can use plastic, doesn’t mean they should.
Are pollinators sensitive to climate change, urbanization?
(Bowling Green State University) Newly-funded research will look at how bees are impacted by climate change and urbanization. The research will focus on bees in five sets of paired cities that represent a wide range of temperatures and precipitation. The researchers have identified six groups of bees that are considered “economically important and in large enough quantities in each of the cities.” They plan to study honey bees, bumble bees, carpenter bees, sweat bees, mason bees and leafcutting bees.
(Scientific American) To many people, honey bees symbolize prosperity, sustainability and environmentalism. And while they are important for agriculture, honey bees also destabilize natural ecosystems by competing with native bees – some of which are species at risk.
Policy/Law
UK launches Healthy Bees Plan 2030 to help protect honey bees
(GOV.UK) The U.K. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Welsh Government have published the Healthy Bees Plan 2030 to protect and improve the health of honey bees in England and Wales. The plan sets out four key outcomes for beekeepers, bee farmers, associations and government to work towards to help protect honey bees, which continue to face pressure from a variety of pests, diseases and environmental threats including the invasive non-native species Asian hornet.
Science
Six native mason bee species decline after the arrival of exotic mason bees
(Twitter, Kathryn A. LeCroy @BeesYall) “My first publication from my PhD is out today: wild native mason bees (#Osmia) are not doing well while exotic mason bees are #thriving in the Mid-Atlantic US.” The original paper.
First Australian night bees recorded foraging in darkness
(Phys.org, Flinders University) A new study has identified two species of Australian bee that have adapted their vision for night-time conditions. Both species have developed enlarged compound and simple eyes which allow more light to be gathered when compared to their daytime kin. “Before this study, the only way to show that a bee had adapted to low-light was by using difficult-to-obtain behavioral observations, but we have found that you should be able to figure this out by using high-quality images of a specific bee.”
Insect biomass is not a consistent proxy for biodiversity in wild bees
(Twitter, Michael Orr @mc_orr) “Biomass or abundance are not the whole story, not even half of it! Species identification is critical. We need to know what the species are to conserve them.” The original paper.
US National Native Bee Monitoring Network website is up and running
(Twitter, usnativebees @usnativebees) “Please check out our new RCN website: usnativebees.com. We will be adding a member directory + other features soon”
(Twitter, Zach Portman @zachportman) “I was interviewed about bee monitoring for the first blog post of the new RCN website. Check it out for your daily dose of controversial bee opinions”
Society/Culture
Residential pest management: What do homeowners know, and what do they do?
(Entomology Today) How much do homeowners know about pesticide use, and about integrated pest management in general? Are people just using the “spray and pray” tactic, or are they using multiple forms of pest management together as part of an integrated plan? A recent study explores these questions.
Tufts Pollinator Initiative hosts virtual pollinator trivia night
(Twitter, Tufts Pollinator Initiative @PollinateTufts) “Think you know a lot about #pollinators? Join TPI to test your knowledge at our virtual Zoom trivia event! Questions will range from science to music to pop culture.”
One More Thing…
“My STEM Bee painting is now up on display at the Manchester Science and Industry Museum! Its visible through the cafe window facing the road so you don’t even have to enter the museum to see it!” From Kelly Stanford @TheLabArtist via Twitter.