Pollinators are organisms that mediate the transfer of pollen between the male and female reproductive structures of seed plants, thereby enabling sexual reproduction and gene flow within and among plant populations. They encompass a diverse set of taxa, including many insects (notably bees, flies, butterflies, moths, beetles), some vertebrates (such as birds and bats), and other animals that incidentally or actively collect floral resources like nectar and pollen. In ecological and evolutionary research, pollinators are central to studies of plant–animal mutualisms, floral trait adaptation, community assembly, and ecosystem functioning, as well as to analyses of network structure, coevolutionary dynamics, and the stability and resilience of plant–pollinator interaction webs.
Horizon Europe project PollinERA, which aims to reverse pollinator population declines and reduce the harmful impacts of pesticides, has released its first policy brief. This marks an important stepping stone for the project, ...
Ecology
Dec 1, 2025
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Nature is brimming with color in almost every season. While the majority of colors are matte, some are shiny. Evolutionary biologist Casper van der Kooi wondered why shiny colors are so rare. He researched how bees perceive ...
Evolution
Nov 26, 2025
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Rebecca Stup '23, MS '26, is a master's student in the lab of Antonio DiTommaso, a weed ecologist and associate dean and director of the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station (Cornell AES). DiTommaso's lab has ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 19, 2025
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Floral scents play essential ecological roles, attracting pollinators and deterring herbivores. Geraniol, a monoterpene with a sweet, rose-like aroma, is a major commercial fragrance component widely used in the perfume and ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 17, 2025
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Beaver-created wetlands increase pollinator numbers, boosting biodiversity, according to new research by the University of Stirling.
Plants & Animals
Nov 13, 2025
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To the casual observer, it's nothing more than an abandoned golf course. But the land, along with other weedy, minimally maintained "marginal lands" in the Puget Sound area, is home to scores of wild bee species, including ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 12, 2025
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Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have shown for the first time that an insect—the bumblebee Bombus terrestris—can decide where to forage for food based on different durations of visual cues. Their paper is published ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 11, 2025
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Every mind-bending molecule in nature has an evolutionary origin; a defense against being eaten, a lure for pollinators, or perhaps a happy biochemical accident. Though they seem extraordinary, life has evolved psychedelic ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 10, 2025
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As Australian Pollinator Week (8–16 November) gets underway, new research has found that many Australians have poor awareness of Australian native bee species—revealing a significant gap in public understanding of the nation's ...
Ecology
Nov 10, 2025
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Plant protection products protect crops from pests, diseases and weeds. However, many of the fungicides, herbicides and insecticides also have a negative effect on terrestrial and aquatic organisms such as pollinators or ...
Plants & Animals
Nov 6, 2025
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