honeybee

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Dozens of Penguins Stung to Death by Bees

63 endangered African penguins were found Friday on a South African beach

(Newser) - More than five dozen African penguins have met a sad end in South Africa, in what bird conservationists say is a most uncommon incident. AFP reports that 63 of the endangered birds were found dead Friday on Boulders Beach in Simon's Town, a suburb of Cape Town, and their...

He Got in His Car After Grocery Shopping. Then, 'Holy Cow'

Man had 15,000 bees waiting for him in his vehicle in an Albertsons parking lot in Las Cruces, NM

(Newser) - Ever get behind the wheel and feel the creepy sensation that someone or something unwelcome is in the car with you? That's what happened to a man in Las Cruces, NM, over the weekend after a short trip to the grocery store, but to his horror, there wasn't...

Scientists Make 'Critical' Find on Honeybees, Herbicide

Glyphosate, used in Monsanto's Roundup, may kill off insects' essential gut bacteria

(Newser) - Animals don't seem to be harmed by the world's most widely used weedkiller, but bees apparently don't fall under that protective umbrella. "This is really critical," one entomologist tells Science of a new study showing the digestive system of honeybees (and possibly other bees as...

US Bumblebee Populations In Freefall

Half of species studied are in steep decline

(Newser) - The collapse in honeybee populations has been getting all the attention, but bumblebees are also in serious trouble, according to a new study, Populations of four common species of bumblebee in the US have dropped by up to 96% over the last few decades, according to a nationwide census of...

Honeybee Killer Finally Found
 Honeybee Killer Finally Found 
Oct 7, 2010 7:30 AM CDT

Honeybee Killer Finally Found

Colonies collapsing due to fungus-virus combination

(Newser) - For years, experts have been trying to figure out what is killing all the honeybees—and they may finally have an answer. Since 2006, 20% to 40% of US bee colonies have collapsed, and suspected causes have included genetically modified corn , pesticides , and bad weather . New research, however, points to...

Honeybees Stung by Bad Winter, Pesticides

4-year run of dropping numbers just got worse

(Newser) - Beleaguered honeybees are having a harder time than ever before after an especially harsh winter and heavy pesticides discovered in their hives and pollen. A massive die-off of the valuable creatures is topping off 4 years of troubling population declines. Scientists are trying to nail down the exact mechanism causing...

Honeybees Do Puzzling 'Wave' to Scare Enemies

(Newser) - Honeybees flip over en masse and reflect light with their bellies for a reason, scientists have found: It's to scare off enemies. Bee experts knew that giant honeybees in Southeast Asia flipped over by the hundreds or even thousands but only recently discovered they were warding off predatory wasps. What...

Beekeeping Hobbyists Spark Swarm of Controversy

Towns across US limit the pastime

(Newser) - Beekeeping is causing an unwanted buzz in some American towns as amateurs raise colonies for the love of it. As honeybees disappear from commercial hives, the ranks of hobbyist beekeepers have risen to some 100,000, reports the Wall Street Journal. Amid concerns the bees could zoom amok, some communities...

Making Mead Creates a Buzz Among Foodies

Ancient brew kinda cool, but not likely to replace Bud

(Newser) - Mead, that honey-based alcoholic drink last popular around King Arthur’s Round Table, is making a comeback—well, sort of, Nicholas Day reports in Slate. Meaderies are springing up around the US, publishers have printed a spate of how-to books, and the Internet is rife with mead-making sites that include...

Fungus Could Be Culprit in Death of Bees

First clue to the malady that's wiped out a quarter of US colonies

(Newser) - Finally, a lead in the mysterious honeybee crisis that's had scientists and keepers buzzing for months. A fungus called nosema ceranae is showing up frequently in colonies that have suffered heavy losses, giving scientists hope of controlling what they call "colony collapse disorder," the Los Angeles Times reports....

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