How to Keep a Wasp from Cheating

Vincent submitted, created time 9 months 3 weeks (sciencenow.sciencemag.org)

It would be easy for fig wasps to cheat. These tiny insects pollinate figs in exchange for a share of the tree's seeds--and theoretically, the wasps could lay claim to more seeds than they deserve. But they don't, and now biologists know why. Parasitic wasps, usually thought of as the bad guys, keep the pollinators honest.

7 comments | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: mutualism symbiosis parasites pollination pollen plants entymology insects sex fidelity

Declining Bee Numbers Raise Concerns Over Plant Pollination

diggman submitted, created time 1 year 7 months (www.sciencedaily.com)

A decline in bee diversity and abundance linked to habitat loss and disease in Europe together with a 50% drop in the number of managed honeybee colonies throughout North America are part of a global phenomenon known as the ‘pollination crisis’.

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Honey Bee Die-off Alarms Beekeepers, Crop Growers And Researchers

newsdigg submitted, created time 1 year 8 months (www.sciencedaily.com)

An alarming die-off of honey bees has beekeepers fighting for commercial survival and crop growers wondering whether bees will be available to pollinate their crops this spring and summer. Researchers are scrambling to find answers to what's causing an affliction recently named Colony Collapse Disorder, which has decimated commercial beekeeping operations in Pennsylvania and across the country.

2 comments | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: honey bee pollination