Flowers offer all sorts of cues to their pollinators—colors, patterns, shapes, and scents all help plants communicate with butterflies, bats, birds, and bees. But recent research suggests that another ...

Bees leave an electric trace on pollinated flowers, telling other bees the flower is tapped out. A study found fertilizers change that electric field and put bumblebees off from fertilizing. Bees are ...

Half of each of these flowers has been treated with a charged powder. (Courtesy: Dominic Clarke and Daniel Robert) Spring will soon be upon many of us – and for me, nothing evokes the spirit of the ...

As gardeners, we often head to garden centers to find beautiful blooms to enhance our yards. However, some of the most attractive flowers available at these centers are not the best choice for bees ...

New research conclusively shows that certain physical traits of flowers affect the health of bumble bees by modulating the transmission of a harmful pathogen called Crithidia bombi. In particular, the ...

National Pollinator Week is June 21-27. To celebrate, let’s look at some of our important pollinators. First a botany review. Pollination occurs when pollen is moved within a flower or, in the case of ...

Flowers emit scented chemicals to attract pollinators, but this perfume—and how pollinators interact with the plant—can go ...

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Pollinators are a vital component of our ecosystems. Approximately ...

We all hear about the importance of bees these days, and who doesn’t enjoy a butterfly flitting by?] Last week I introduced some basics about the importance of beneficial insects in gardens. That was ...

Plants could turn out to be one of the more chatty organisms. Recent studies have shown they can communicate with a surprising range of cues. Now it turns out they could be sending out electrical ...

Ecologists who study flowering plants have long believed that flowers evolved with particular sets of characteristics to attract specific pollinators. But a recent article suggests that flowers ...

Are your apples asymmetrical? Are your blueberries behind in their ripening schedule? Is the growth of your strawberries stunted? The problem might be insufficient bee activity. When bees are abundant ...