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Each month our Bee Informed Blog highlights current news, science, and research related to solitary bee conservation, food insecurity, and sustainability.1. Murder hornets given new common name by entomologists(Associated Press) The invasive hornet found in Washington state that has been referred to as the Asian giant hornet or murder hornet has a new name.Washington state Department of Agriculture officials said Monday that the Entomological Society of America (ESA) has adopted “northern giant …

With extreme summer temperatures sweeping North America, shipping trucks, mailboxes, sheds, and garages can quickly feel like ovens! While bees are hearty insects, extreme temps can impact their survival.Here are a few things to keep in mind this summer: Once our bees leave our facility, we cannot regulate the temperature of the cocoons. Extreme temps and shipping delays may affect your bees. If you know your leafcutter bees are scheduled to ship during a heat wave, please consider changing you …

Each month our Bee Informed Blog highlights current news, science, and research related to solitary bee conservation, food insecurity, and sustainability.1. Native Bees Climb Social Ladder(County News) A native bee which nests in tree-fern fronds is helping scientists understand how life developed to be social and altruistic — and how bees evolved to purposefully hatch sterile young, a fact which defies Darwin’s natural selection theory.The Australian bee Amphylaeus morosus only recently made th …

Each month our Bee Informed Blog highlights current news, science, and research related to solitary bee conservation, food insecurity, and sustainability.1. What you need to know about No-Mow May, the bee-boosting trend sweeping Wisconsin — and the country(wpr.org) Two years ago, Appleton became the first city in the U.S. to adopt "No-Mow May," an initiative designed to boost the population of bees and other pollinators. The idea is to give homeowners the option of letting their lawns get a bit …

The sun is out; the flowers are blooming; the bees are buzzing — spring is finally here! However, sometimes the buzz of bees is not always a welcome sound, especially when you start to notice nickel-sized holes in your house or patio furniture.These holes are likely caused by carpenter bees, appropriately named for their habit of drilling holes in wood. Unlike mason and leafcutter bees, which use existing holes to lay their eggs and don't cause damage to the structures they live in, carpenter be …