Asian giant hornets have received plenty of media attention recently. The only tangible threat they pose is to honey bees, which has nothing to do with the hornets — and everything to do with us.
Northern amber bumble bee queen (Bombus borealis) on a dandelion flower.
Sarah A. Johnson
Urban pollutants are a health concern in growing cities. Scientists are turning to honey bees to help monitor contaminants in soil, water, air and plants.
A buff tailed bumble bee emerges from a crocus covered in pollen.
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Bees can pick up unique characteristics in paintings by zipping quickly back and forth in front of them to detect abrupt changes in the brightness of an image.
Remotely monitoring honeybee hives can help track the health of the colony.
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Honeybees receive a lot of attention, but the first North American bee to be listed as an endangered species is a wild bumble bee. Wild bees are vital pollinators, and some are declining rapidly.
When is red not red, or blue not blue? How bees interpret colour is vital for finding the right flowers.
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Extra "eyes" on top of bee heads help them see colours the same way under all light conditions. And it's an approach that could help us design better cameras.