News — genetics

Each month our Bee Informed Blog highlights current news, science, and research related to solitary bee conservation, food insecurity, and sustainability. 1. What genetic sequencing can reveal about the secret lives of bees (pbs.org) Bees are, in many ways, the darlings of the insect world. Not only do they play a crucial role in thriving ecosystems, but they’re also harbingers of the worsening consequences of climate change. To bolster our knowledge of bee biology and behavior, a new effort dubbed the “Beenome100 Project” is building a first-of-its-kind library of dozens of different bee genomes. Researchers can use that information to tackle big...

Mason bees are susceptible to many parasites and diseases, increasing over time, especially when the same nest materials are used for multiple seasons. One of the most destructive diseases of cavity-nesting bees is chalkbrood, which is caused by the fungal pathogen Ascosphaera. Several species of Ascosphaera exist, including Ascosphaera torchioi (affects mason bees), A. larvis, and A. aggregata (affects alfalfa leafcutter bees). Chalkbrood disease also affects honey bees, but it is caused yet another species of the fungus—Ascosphaera apis. Adult bees are not affected by chalkbrood, but they contribute to its spread. Adult masons pick up Ascosphaera spores from flowers and transfer them to the pollen ball they create for their...