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Seaweed Has Its Own Matchmakers: Small Crustaceans
Seaweed Has Its Own Matchmakers: Small Crustaceans
A species that transports the spermatia of red algae is the first known instance of an animal facilitating fertilization in this ancient photosynthetic lineage.
A species that transports the spermatia of red algae is the first known instance of an animal facilitating fertilization in this ancient photosynthetic lineage.
pollination
Even the Tiniest of Birds Use Smell in Some Situations
Jef Akst | Jan 4, 2022 | 4 min read
Once considered anosmic, birds are now widely recognized as using olfactory cues to aid in a wide range of behaviors.
Bee Reports over the Past Century Indicate a Loss of Diversity
Asher Jones | Jan 22, 2021 | 8 min read
An analysis of museum data and naturalists' observations finds that the number of bee species recorded has been declining since the 1990s. The first global, long-term study of bee trends adds to mounting evidence that the pollinators are in trouble worldwide.
Climate Change Linked to Drop in Bumble Bee Numbers: Study
Lisa Winter | Feb 7, 2020 | 3 min read
The rate of population decline is outpacing the ability of the bees to find a new habitat.
Ecuadorian Cactus Absorbs Ultrasound, Enticing Bats to Flowers
Emily Makowski | Jan 17, 2020 | 4 min read
Many plants reflect ultrasonic waves, thereby attracting the pollinators, but one cactus takes a different approach.
Celebrated Brazilian Bee Scientist Warwick Kerr Dies
Vijay Shankar Balakrishnan | Oct 2, 2018 | 4 min read
Revered as a humanitarian and scientist, Kerr was also blamed for the introduction of aggressive Africanized bees to the Americas.
Fossilized Beetle Is Earliest Evidence of Insect Pollinator
Abby Olena, PhD | Aug 16, 2018 | 3 min read
A 99-million-year-old beetle preserved in amber alongside grains of pollen likely pollinated prehistoric plants.
Bees’ Molecular Responses to Neonicotinoids Determined
Catherine Offord | Mar 22, 2018 | 4 min read
Researchers pinpoint a protein that can metabolize at least one of the insecticides, highlighting a route to identifying compounds that are friendlier to the critical pollinators.
Image of the Day: Flower in a Mushroom Suit
The Scientist Staff and The Scientist Staff | Nov 21, 2017 | 1 min read
Scientists discover the real pollinators of a popular houseplant flower.
Germany Sees Drastic Decrease in Insects
Anna Azvolinsky | Oct 18, 2017 | 4 min read
A 27-year-long study finds insect biomass has declined by about 75 percent.
Bees Live the City Life in Detroit
Catherine Offord | Sep 1, 2017 | 4 min read
Important pollinators under threat from habitat destruction, bumblebees may find refuge on vacant land throughout Michigan’s largest metropolis.
Field Studies Confirm Neonicotinoids’ Harm to Bees
Ashley P. Taylor | Jun 29, 2017 | 5 min read
Two large studies find that, in real-world conditions, the insecticides are detrimental to honey bees and bumblebees.
Restoring a Native Island Habitat
Anna Azvolinsky | Jan 30, 2017 | 4 min read
Removal of non-native vegetation from an island ecosystem revives pollinator activity and, in turn, native plant growth.
To Attract Pollinators, Flower Mimics Wounded Bee
Ben Andrew Henry | Oct 7, 2016 | 2 min read
Umbrella flowers lure in flies by mimicking the alarm signals produced by the flies’ preferred prey.
The Flower Sense of Hawkmoths
Alison F. Takemura | Sep 1, 2016 | 5 min read
The pollinators of a wild tobacco plant use the tip of their proboscis to determine whether they should stop for a drink.
Bumblebees Pick Infected Tomato Plants
Ashley P. Taylor | Aug 11, 2016 | 3 min read
Tomatoes infected with cucumber mosaic virus lure the pollinators, according to a study.
Bumblebees’ Electric Sense
Tanya Lewis | May 31, 2016 | 3 min read
Tiny hairs may enable the insects to detect floral electric fields, according to a study.
Hydropowered Pollen
Karen Zusi | Feb 1, 2016 | 2 min read
A tension-sensing ion channel regulates hydration and germination in pollen.
Study: Pesticides Harm Bees
Kerry Grens | Mar 27, 2015 | 2 min read
A researcher challenges the UK government’s conclusion that neonicotinoids aren’t that bad for pollinators.
Wild Bees Catch Honeybee Disease
Kerry Grens | Feb 19, 2014 | 3 min read
Study suggests a honeybee disease might be spilling over into wild bee populations in the U.K.