Nectar, Pollen and the Health of Bees

Contemporary Science Issues and Innovations July 10, 2019, Belmont Media Center

Lynn Adler, Ph.D., Professor of Biology, UMass-Amherst. Adler Lab.

We hear frequently today about the alarming decline of the honeybees that are essential for agriculture pollination . But what about wild bees in general, and bumble bees in particular? Professor Lynn Adler's lab studies the vital relationship between bumble bees and certain food sources such as sunflowers. She explains how how some bee infections may be transferred via plants that bees visit, and how some types of nectar and pollen may help to reduce certain pathogens.