#honeybees — Public Fediverse posts

Muscat grape honey being made, step 1. #honeybees #bees

Women Work to Save #NativeBees of #Mexico

A happy story about #bees, #BeeConservation, and empowering women in Mexico.

Mar 5, 2014

Excerpt: "Spaniards introduced European #honeybees to Central America around 1620, and they are now well established. European honey bees (and their Africanized form) do compete with gentle #NativeBee species for pollen and nectar on flowers. #MeliponaBeecheii is a #ForestBee, so if they could find flowering trees and shrubs, competition with honey bees might not be a problem. Alas, #Yucatan is heavily logged.

"The Yucatan peninsula sits right in the path of a lot of big storms; quite a few hurricanes, floods, and droughts have caused beekeepers to lose all or most of their hives. Native stingless bees are quite sensitive to #pesticides, so that isn't helping either."

Learn more:
https://www.wired.com/2014/03/women-work-save-native-bees-mexico/

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/C5qzc

Link to video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c4v1E2mRhw

#WorldBeeDay #SaveTheBees #EmpoweringWomen #YucatanBees #IndigenousWomen

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

Sunny and 41F / 5C out before noon and all three hives had bees flying. I even saw a big drone fly back into one hive.

#beekeeping #bees #apiary #honeybees #honeybee #MastodonOnly #CCBYNCND