Honey bees experience multiple health stressors out-in-the-field

Media Release from April 17, 2024 It’s not a single pesticide or virus stressing honey bees, and affecting their health, but exposure to a complex web of multiple interacting stressors encountered while at work pollinating crops, found new research out of York University. Scientists have been unable to explain increasing colony mortality, even after decades […]

Annual bee conference at York welcomes scientists from across the globe

On October 12-13, 2023, the Centre for Bee Ecology, Evolution and Conservation (BEEc) at York University hosted the twelfth annual BeeCon, a free conference that brings together bee biologists from around the world to discuss bees, collection methods, pollination, genomics, conservation and behaviour. The two-day hybrid event welcomed researchers and community members from over 30 […]

Lack of maternal care effects development, microbiome and health of wild bees

Media Release from September 14, 2023 York University researchers examined the early and late life stages of small developing carpenter bees in the presence and absence of maternal care and were surprised by the results. Most wild bees are solitary, but one tiny species of carpenter bees fastidiously cares for and raises their offspring, an […]

Graduate student Kathleen Dogantzis receives Governor General Gold Medal

PhD student Kathleen Dogantzis is among three York University graduates receiving this year’s Governor General Gold Medals, which recognize the outstanding scholastic achievements of graduate students in Canada. Dogantzis earned a PhD in biology, following the completion of a master of science at York University. Both degrees were done under the supervision of Professor Amro […]

Urbanization leads to more pathogens and inbreeding of wild bees

Media release from May 16, 2023 Wild bees living in cities like Toronto are facing increased environmental stressors compared to those in rural and even suburban areas, such as more pathogens and parasites, found researchers at York University. They also found changes in the microbiomes of wild bees living in densely urban areas and fragmented […]

Buzzing with excitement: researchers return in person for 11th annual BeeCon

After two years of virtual conferences, BeeCon returned to York University in a hybrid format. More than 400 attendees participated in the two-day conference hosted by the Centre for Bee Ecology, Evolution and Conservation (BEEc). BeeCon is a free, annual conference that brings together bee biologists on a global scale to discuss bees, collection methods, […]