Pollen, Nectar, Honey, and Bee Bread: What Honey Bees Eat
Honey bees are remarkable creatures. Their ability to communicate, adapt, and work together in a colony is unparalleled in nature. But these fascinating insects can’t do any of this without the proper nutrition. Like humans, bees need a balanced diet to thrive. And what they eat is intricately linked to their health and productivity as […]
Common Fungi Threatening Honey Bee Health
Honey bee colonies face threats from various fungal pathogens. Spores from fungi like chalkbrood, stonebrood, and nosema can infiltrate hives and wreak havoc if not controlled. Infected bees exhibit symptoms like body discoloration, odd postures, lethargy, and dysentery before dying. Left unchecked, fungi can decimate bee populations, weaken colonies, and severely impact honey production. How […]
Is this Bee Sick? A Guide to Common Honey Bee Bacterial Infections
Like viruses, bacterial infections pose a serious threat to honey bees. While bees have defenses against bacteria, large infections can overwhelm their immune systems. Learning about the most common bacteria, their transmission, symptoms, and prevention methods is key for beekeepers in supporting hive health. What are bacterial infections? Bacteria are single-celled microorganisms that are essential […]
Bee Aware: A Beginner Guide to Honey Bee Viruses
Honey bees are challenged by viruses that impact their health and survival. While bees have natural defenses, large viral loads can overwhelm their immune systems causing illness and death. Understanding common bee viruses, where they come from, and how to manage them is key for supporting hive health. What are honey bee viruses? Viruses are […]
Tiny Foes: Beekeepers and the Global Fight Against Varroa Mites
One of the biggest threats to honey bees worldwide is a tiny parasite called the Varroa destructor mite. This vampire-like mite devastates bee colonies by feeding on bee larvae and reproducing inside hives. Originating from the Asian honey bee (Apis cerana), the Varroa mite jumped to the European honey bee (Apis mellifera) in the 1950s. […]
Synchronized Survival: A Day in the Life of a Honey Bee
The compound eyes open to the dim light inside the hive. Our bee emerges slowly from the wax comb, crawling out from the mass of bee bodies pulsing in the morning hive frenzy. She is a worker bee – her duty is the repetitive toil that supports this colony of 50,000. Survival of the hive […]
Top Crops Pollinated by Honey Bees [Infographic]
Honey bees play an integral role in food production as prolific pollinators of the plants we rely on for survival. Bees pollinate over 100 different U.S. crops, adding over $15 billion in value annually. Their work sustaining our food system often goes unnoticed, yet without them many of our meals would be far less diverse […]
Hidden Heroes of Health: 6 Reasons Why Beekeepers are Essential to Wellbeing
When we think of health heroes, we think of doctors, nurses and researchers, wearing white lab coats and brandishing metal instruments. But did you know there’s another group in white suits brandishing metal instruments who also plays a pivotal role in our health? It’s beekeepers. Beekeepers manage and care for honey bee colonies in hives […]
The Sweet Science: 5 Important Discoveries in Honey Bee Research
Honey bees have interested humans for thousands of years with their elaborate hives, complex social structures, and critical role as pollinators. Over the past 100 years, scientists have delved deep into understanding these remarkable insects, leading to groundbreaking discoveries that have changed our perception of nature, biology, and even ourselves. From how bees communicate to […]
The Vanishing Homes of Pollinators
Bees, butterflies, birds and beetles – our landscapes are filled with busy creatures that carry pollen from flower to flower. This allows plants to reproduce and bear the fruits, seeds and nuts that nourish wildlife and humans alike. Pollinators depend on specialized habitats to survive. Unfortunately, these habitats are disappearing across the country. What is […]
