As you already know, we love bees! So, we're sharing the highlight reel of all major bee happenings that went on this past month.
recent years due to habitat loss, pesticides, wildfires and loss of genetic diversity, however, it wasn’t until recent research that it was concluded that protection was necessary. Without these hard workers, the United States would lose an abundance of agriculture, said to be valued at more than $9 billion annually! By listing the bees, it is easy to provide recovery programs as well as receive protection funding. #savethebees
Smelling like dead bees! The plant that does this is from Native to South Africa, scientifically called Ceropegia sandersonii. This species of plant requires Kleptoparasitic flies for pollination. These flies live off of food stolen from other organisms, in particular, the juices of a bee freshly attacked by a spider!! Therefore, the plant has cleverly evolved to smell like the food their ideal pollinator loves… dead bees! The flies are attracted to the blossoms of these flowers through the smell they give off. Once on the flower, the bugs fall inside of the flower and are trapped for lengths of time. While the bugs freak out, they pick up pollen that is around them. After a while, the flowers wilt and release the fly from it’s prison! If all goes according to plan, the bug will fly away, get tricked by another flower of the same plant and repeat the procedure and ultimately pollinating the new plant!
The Hit List: Bees Make It on the Endangered Species List for the First time
Seven bee species native to Hawaii have been placed under protection by the endangered species act. The Yellow-faced bee species has had a population declined inrecent years due to habitat loss, pesticides, wildfires and loss of genetic diversity, however, it wasn’t until recent research that it was concluded that protection was necessary. Without these hard workers, the United States would lose an abundance of agriculture, said to be valued at more than $9 billion annually! By listing the bees, it is easy to provide recovery programs as well as receive protection funding. #savethebees
How Do I Smell?
Flowers mimic the smell of dying honey bees to attract pollinators! In the plant world, there is an abundance of cases where plants deceive pollinators. There are plants that use sex, others that use food. Recently, a new case of food deception has popped up …Smelling like dead bees! The plant that does this is from Native to South Africa, scientifically called Ceropegia sandersonii. This species of plant requires Kleptoparasitic flies for pollination. These flies live off of food stolen from other organisms, in particular, the juices of a bee freshly attacked by a spider!! Therefore, the plant has cleverly evolved to smell like the food their ideal pollinator loves… dead bees! The flies are attracted to the blossoms of these flowers through the smell they give off. Once on the flower, the bugs fall inside of the flower and are trapped for lengths of time. While the bugs freak out, they pick up pollen that is around them. After a while, the flowers wilt and release the fly from it’s prison! If all goes according to plan, the bug will fly away, get tricked by another flower of the same plant and repeat the procedure and ultimately pollinating the new plant!
