All articles tagged with #colony collapse
Researchers have developed a synthetic, pollen-replacing superfood for honey bees that could improve their health, survival, and pollination services, potentially saving declining bee populations and supporting global food security. The innovation, tested successfully in trials, aims to provide essential nutrients to bees in environments with poor natural pollen sources and is expected to be available in the U.S. by mid-2026.
Minnesota beekeepers are experiencing sudden disappearances of honeybee colonies, likely due to varroa mite infestations exacerbated by an unusually warm fall. The mites, which spread viruses among bees, have been a persistent issue, and the extended egg-laying season has allowed them to proliferate. This situation differs from "colony collapse disorder," as the entire hive, including the queen, vanishes. Despite these challenges, beekeepers like Kirk Nelson remain committed to their operations, planning to start new hives in the spring.
A team of roboticists and biologists from Switzerland and Austria has developed a robotic honeycomb to prevent honeybees from dying due to "chill coma" during cold winters. The robot is built into a hive box and directly sends heat thermally into a honeycomb, which is a gentle approach that does not surprise or alarm the bees. The robot monitors conditions in the hive and adjusts the amount of heat delivered accordingly. The team tested their hive by enticing 4,000 bees to make it their home over the 2020–2021 winter and found that their efforts led to the survival of the hive during a cold snap when bees in other nearby hives died.