Bees

Any day now, the bees will take over the world. You might have thought their numbers were dwindling, which would mean plants wouldn’t be pollinated, which in turn would mean we’d all die. And that might indeed happen down the track.

But before it does, the bees will heat us with their brains and kill us all. If they so choose. Research out this week shows just how bees overwhelm enemies like hornets by swarming all over them and heating them till they die with brain power alone. It’s scary stuff.

So who’s for a honey sandwich? While we make one for you, tell us what’s on your mind.

Food security is one of the major challenges facing the world.  In the coming decade with the population expected to increase to around 10 billion, access to food particularly food that is safe and free from disease will increasingly challenge many nations.

Australians are rightly proud of the high quality food that we produce.  But as the world grows flatter and we increasingly import food, the high standards that we expect in Australia come into question.

An example of this is the Australian honeybee industry, which for all intensive purposes has its back against the wall.

Continue reading "Australian apiarists left with half a bee industry" »