Tag Archives | bees

Can These Bees Save Lives?

May 20, 2013

(ANIMAL SCIENCE) A group of unlikely heroes are currently being trained to prevent future land mine tragedies. Croatian researchers are training sugar-craving honeybees to find unexploded mines littering their country—all of which have been responsible for about 2,500 deaths since the beginning of the Balkan wars in 1991. Because bees have a perfect sense of smell which can efficiently detect the scent of explosives, identifying their food source with the scent of TNT has proved to be a successful way to safely unveil dangerous hidden mines. Read on for more on the ways in which these everyday insects can potentially make a huge difference in Croatia. — Global Animal

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20,000 Bees Safely Evacuated From Tree

May 15, 2013

(ANIMAL RESCUE) Last week in England, a tree surgeon named John Joinson was sent to the village of Childer Thornton to remove a tree that was in danger of falling into the road. When Joinson arrived at the tree, he discovered that a large colony of bees was living in it. Rather than resorting to the easier maneuver of spraying and killing them, Joinson phoned a beekeeper for help and managed to drive 20,000 bees out of the hive and into a box before cutting down the tree. Continue reading for more on the miraculous rescue mission. — Global Animal

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Disney’s ‘Wings Of Life’ Soars High

April 24, 2013

(MOVIE REVIEW) Originally released in France under the title Pollen in 2011, Disneynature’s Wings of Life has finally made it to worldwide audiences. Much like the 2012 film Chimpanzee, Wings of Life is short, but particularly sweet. Coming in at only 77 minutes, the documentary uses its time proficiently in order to deliver its increasingly important message. The opening title card of the film reads: “Life depends on little things we take for granted,” a theme that rests at the core of Wings of Life. Focusing on the vital relationship between flowers, and the animals that interact with them, the documentary explores a complex world often taken for granted. Read on for more on Wings of Life and see the trailer for yourself. — Global Animal

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What’s The Buzz On Bee Buzz?

April 23, 2013

(ANIMAL SCIENCE) A new study suggests that the electric fields that build up as honey bees fly and flutter may aid in insect communication. The research reveals that the charged fields deflect the bees’ antennae which provide signals to the brain through specialized organs located at the antennae base. Shortly before this finding, scientists reported that bumblebees may use electric fields to identify flowers rich in nectar and pollen from flowers more recently visited by other insects. All this buzz about bees has scientists looking at the flying insects in a whole new light and questioning their modes of communication even further. Keep reading for more on these buzzing bugs and the groundbreaking new studies that have researchers in awe. — Global Animal 

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Fish Agree: Majority Rules

November 1, 2012

(ANIMAL BEHAVIOR) All social animals—whether they are packing rats, schooling fish, flocking birds, colonizing bees, herding elephants, or even crowding humans—adhere to the democratic principle of majority rule. Ian Couzin, an evolutionary biologist at Princeton University, states, “One common property we see in animal groups from schooling fish to flocking birds to primate groups is that they effectively vote to decide where to go and what to do.” Because we are social animals, it is in our nature to follow the majority. Read on to learn more about Couzin’s intriguing study. — Global Animal

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Abandoned Puppies Attacked By Bees

June 21, 2012

(ANIMAL ABUSE) CALIFORNIA — Two weeks ago, five puppies were abandoned and tied to a tree directly under an active beehive. While two of the animals managed to survive the swarm of disturbed bees, the other three were less fortunate. While it is still unclear if the person who dumped the puppies there was planning to return, this was no doubt an irresponsible, careless act by the guardian who has yet to come forward. Hopefully this instance will bring attention to the prohibiting of tethering and abandoning dogs. Read on for more details on the remaining pups, their recovery and their hopeful future. — Global Animal

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Elephants vs. Bees: Size Doesn’t Matter

November 28, 2011

(ANIMAL SCIENCE) KENYA — How does a Kenyan farmer keep an 8 ton African elephant from making a meal of his crops?  The newly discovered means is quite the buzz.  Honey bee nests are connected by wires surrounding the fields.  When the elephant disturbs the wires, bees emerge to swarm the perpetrator.  With a memory comparable to ours, the elephant then avoids hives by all means.  Farmers can protect their crops while also providing themselves with a second means for profit.  This natural way of supporting human development is a step toward peaceful interactions with people and nature. — Global Animal

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The Gotham bee is one of four new bee species found in New York City. Photo credit: inhabitat.com

What’s The Buzz In NYC?

November 26, 2011

(BEE DISCOVERY) NEW YORK — The American Museum of Natural History announced that 11 new species of bees have been discovered, including 4 from New York City and the surrounding suburbs. Although the recent buzz has been about the decline in honeybee numbers, this new finding gives hope to the bee population and the fact that new animal species are frequently discovered. Read on about these new bee species, including the aptly named Gotham Bee from New York City. — Global Animal

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