🐝 Weekly Hive Inspection
https://www.steinerskolen-norge.no/display/edecf743-196a-53cf-b51f-ea8413145577
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #beehealth, aggregated by home.social.
UNEXPECTED NECTAR: BEES IMPLICATED IN DISEASE SPREAD
Bees are eating sap from sick trees. This new behavior might spread forest disease. Find out how this affects trees and forests.
#BeeHealth, #ForestDisease, #PollinatorImpact, #TreeCare, #WildlifeNews
https://newsletter.tf/bees-eat-diseased-tree-sap-spread-forest-sickness/
Bees are now eating sap from diseased trees, a behavior not seen before. This could be a new way forest sickness spreads.
#BeeHealth, #ForestDisease, #PollinatorImpact, #TreeCare, #WildlifeNews
https://newsletter.tf/bees-eat-diseased-tree-sap-spread-forest-sickness/
Harmful Nesting Materials: What to Avoid (and What to Use Instead)
Backyard “#BeeHotels” are everywhere. It’s wonderful that people care and want wild bees to thrive. When we invite bees into our backyards, we become responsible for providing safe shelter. Some common nesting materials, though well intentioned, can harm wild bees. These include materials that trap moisture, harbor pests, or cannot be cleaned.
With thoughtful, simple choices, we can give bees the safe shelter they need. The outer bee house design matters less than the nesting materials inside.
If you started with what was easiest to find, you’re not alone. This guide shows how small changes can make a big difference for bee health."
Learn more:
https://crownbees.com/pages/harmful-bee-nesting-materials
@davbram Hmmmm... #NeemOil might not be great for bees either and should be applied in the evening (I never knew this...).
"As much as I wanted to tackle the bug problem right away, the buzzing neighbors—the bees 🐝—had me worried. Would neem oil send them packing or allow them to thrive?
Using neem oil means walking a tightrope between protecting plants and safeguarding pollinators. The oil, derived from the seeds of the neem tree 🌳, works wonders on aphids and whiteflies 🐛, yet it might create havoc for our buzzing buddies if used recklessly.
Balancing this fine line is crucial because while neem oil is a potent tool for fighting garden pests, its impact on bees hinges on how and when it’s applied.
Let me share a personal tip: apply neem oil during the late evening. In my garden, this timing helped reduce bee exposure while keeping pesky insects at bay."
https://evergreenseeds.com/is-neem-oil-bad-for-bees/
#SolarPunkSunday #GardeningForPollinators #NeemOil #BeeHealth #NaturalInsecticides
@davbram Now, interplanting with marigolds or making a marigold spray might work... #Marigolds contain pyrethrum. However, pyrethrum is toxic to bees and other pollinators, so I wouldn't use the spray version on outdoor plants. Bees do pollinate soybean flowers.
Using Marigolds To Keep Japanese Beetles Away [Step-By-Step]
By Carlos Palmer
May 20, 2023
"If you're looking for a natural way to keep #JapaneseBeetles away, consider using marigolds. Marigolds contain #pyrethrum, which is a natural insecticide. You can either plant marigolds around your garden or make a spray using the flowers."
https://pestpointer.com/using-marigolds-to-keep-japanese-beetles-away-step-by-step/
#SolarPunkSunday #Gardening #GrowYourOwn #GardeningForPollinators #NaturalInsecticides #BeeHealth
And it's not just humans being affected!
#Glyphosate-Based #Herbicides and Their Potential Impact on the #Microbiota of Social #Bees
by Juan P Muñoz, Diego Soto-Jiménez, Anghel Brito, Claudio Quezada-Romegialli
Toxics. 2025 Jun 29;13(7):551.
Abstract
"Bee pollination is essential for terrestrial #ecosystems and crop production. However, the species richness of wild bees and other #pollinators has declined over the past 50 years, with some species experiencing dramatic decreases. A key factor in maintaining bee health is their #GutMicrobiota, which plays an essential role in digestion, nutrient absorption, immune function, and resistance to pathogens. Disruptions to this microbiota can severely impact bee health, rendering them more susceptible to diseases and environmental stressors. Glyphosate, one of the most widely used herbicides, has been extensively studied for its effects on various organisms, with increasing evidence indicating its potential to disrupt bee microbiota. This review explores recent research on the effects of glyphosate and its formulations on the gut microbiota of #honeybees and #bumblebees. It examines species-specific responses, methodological approaches, and broader ecological implications. While evidence indicates that glyphosate can alter the gut microbiome in some bee species, its effects vary depending on exposure conditions, species, and the composition of microbial communities. Additionally, glyphosate formulations containing surfactants may exacerbate these effects. Given the endocrine-disrupting properties of glyphosate, further research is needed to understand the long-term consequences of exposure, especially its impact on hormonal regulation and bee resilience to #EnvironmentalStressors."
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12300706/
#IBS #BeeHealth #Bayer #ToxicPesticides #Monocrops #Monocrap #BigAg #BigChem #Poison #RoundUpKills #USPol #WorldPol #Roundup #Glyphosate #Herbicides
Worker honey bees can sense infections in their queen, leading to revolt
#Environment #HoneyBees #BeeHealth #QueenBee #Insects #Beekeeping #BeeColonyLoss #Pollinators #ScienceNews #Varroa #Research #Canada #Wildlife #Ecology #Climate #Sustainability
https://the-14.com/worker-honey-bees-can-sense-infections-in-their-queen-leading-to-revolt/
Our recent study on landscape-scale coordinated Varroa control suggest there are benefits for colony health. I know it makes sense, but how many actually do it?
This is a promising scientific work that paves the way for new methodologies that assess long term effects on #bees and consider other stressors than pesticides.
#BeeHealth
It is important to fill all knowledge gaps: lack of data on toxicokinetic and toxicity of HMF in #bees, refinement of consumption data. A concentration of HMF of no health concern for bees should be established in bee feed
#BeeHealth
Studies suggest that high levels of HMF in feed for #HoneyBees can be lethal for bees. Our experts identified a health concern for #bees that are exposed over several months to HMF contaminated feed
➡️https://bit.ly/3L03DBv
#BeeHealth
But what is HMF? It is a compound naturally formed by the degradation of simple sugars, especially fructose. It occurs in #food and feed containing carbohydrates, e.g. in sugars used to feed #HoneyBees in winter
https://bit.ly/3L03DBv
#BeeHealth
Our scientists have evaluated the risks to #HoneyBee health related to the presence of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in #feed
➡️https://bit.ly/3EtpFtM
#BeeHealth
🔔 Meet the PoshBee team 🔔
🐝 @[email protected] of @[email protected] and her team are leading the semi-field and field experiments about #agrochemicals and other stressors on #beehealth and #pollination.
Read more about Alex below. ⬇️
🐦🔗: https://twitter.com/poshbee_eu/status/1494589029140082766