New queens can’t run the bee world without a healthy diet

摘要

It is no secret that bees play an important role in human lives, pollinating wild plants as well as those that humans consume, like blueberries and tomatoes. Unfortunately, bees face a number of threats that have led to massive declines in their populations, putting us at risk of losing many of the important services that bees provide. One fundamental part of maintaining bee health is making sure bees have access to a healthy diet. This is especially important for the new queen, since she is responsible for producing offspring in the colony. A new study by Hollis Woodard and her team demonstrates that a poor diet early in a queen bee’s life can have long-lasting negative impacts on survival.