Euglossine bees, commonly referred to as orchid bees, constitute the tribe Euglossini within the family Apidae and are characterized by their predominantly Neotropical distribution, metallic coloration, and elongated glossae adapted for nectar feeding. Males exhibit specialized behavior of collecting and storing volatile aromatic compounds from flowers, particularly orchids, in hind-leg tibial organs, which are thought to function in courtship signaling. Euglossines are key pollinators in tropical ecosystems, mediating highly specific plant–pollinator interactions, often with long-tubed flowers. Morphologically, they possess robust bodies, plumose setae, and powerful flight capabilities, facilitating long-distance foraging and contributing to gene flow among spatially dispersed plant populations.
What determines which tasks bees perform in their colony? Biologists from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) and the universities in Cologne and Frankfurt/Main have investigated the role neural activity plays in this ...
Ecology
Jul 20, 2026
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Flower-rich road verges may attract hungry bumblebees, but at the same time, they can be dangerous for the buzzing insects—if traffic is too heavy. The new research from Lund University in Sweden examined the role roadsides ...
Ecology
Jul 11, 2026
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58
You may be spotting dead bumblebees lying on pavements near you during the summer months. There are several reasons for this, some related to the weather and some very much due to humans.
Plants & Animals
Jul 10, 2026
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It's easy for us to tell if someone is enjoying their meal or not. They lick their lips if they like it, grimace if they don't.
Ecology
Jul 7, 2026
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Bumblebees collect up to seven times the amount of toxic heavy metals as honeybees even when foraging in the same environment, new research from the University of Cambridge has found. Exposure to these metals can affect everything ...
Plants & Animals
Jul 7, 2026
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New research proving bumblebees exhibit emotion-like behaviors—previously thought to exist only in mammalian species—has implications for how scientists understand the consciousness of insects.
Plants & Animals
Jul 6, 2026
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26
When we think of bees, we often think of flowers. The more flowers, the better, right? Well, not exactly. Like us, bees need to consume specific nutrients in suitable amounts and combinations.
Plants & Animals
Jun 26, 2026
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11
Bumblebees are only an inch long, but they help power the global food system. Roughly one-third of the food we grow depends on pollinators like bees—and those bees are regularly decimated by pesticides.
Ecology
Jun 23, 2026
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18
Researchers have identified "DNA switches" that become active as honeybee larvae grow into worker bees, offering new insight into the development of these important pollinators and the ecosystems they support.
Ecology
Jun 23, 2026
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11
Bumblebees see the world differently under stress, processing visual information more sharply and making quicker decisions, new research from Newcastle University reveals.
Plants & Animals
Jun 21, 2026
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