In the five years since honeybees began vanishing due to a mysterious syndrome called colony collapse disorder, beekeepers worldwide have lost a staggering 45 billion bees each year. While some scientists scramble to find the culprit, others are taking advantage of the new attention to learn more about these remarkable insects. From interpretive dance to dueling sperm, the hive hosts a rich exhibit of complex social behavior.
A DOSE OF HOPS Scientists have hypothesized that parasites cause the erratic behavior associated with colony collapse disorder, in which bees abandon the queen. To help bees dodge infection, U.S. Department of Agriculture entomologists are turning to a brewer’s specialty: hops, which contain acids that combat parasitic mites.
SPERM WARS During several early flights a queen obtains enough sperm for her entire lifetime, mating midair with up to 30 drones (males) who jostle for her attention. Danish biologists recently found that drones’ seminal ...
