Bees

Here in Montana, we generally see our first Orchard Mason Bees of the season by mid-April. Resembling a large fly, the males of these bluish-green native bees emerge first, waiting patiently for the females to emerge in a week or so to mate.

When the queen-to-be hatches, worker bees will feed her a strict diet of rich royal jelly. After another five and a half days the larva changes into a pupa, and seven days later the new queen's cell is sealed shut to hide her from my prying eyes.

A federal review of existing data unveiled an alarming trend for the western bumblebee population: its numbers have dwindled by as much as 93% in the last…

Liquid gold…honey, that is.Honeybees make honey as a food source to feed the colony, particularly during winter, but exactly how do they make it?Honeybees…

Honey bees play a vital role pollinating many of the nuts, fruits and vegetables we eat, and they’re an important part of Montana’s economy. But the...

The next time you discover a new restaurant that you love, try telling your friends about it through interpretive dance.That’s what you would do if you…

Hi! I’m Dr. Jamison Starbuck, a naturopathic family physician. I’m here today with health tips for kids about: September bee and wasp stings. Ouch!Over…

Hi! I’m Dr. Jamison Starbuck, a naturopathic family physician. I’m here with health tips for kids about bug bites.It's insect time again here in Montana,…

"I learned about five years ago that honey bees can’t pollinate tomatoes. Honey bees are not native to North America, which I did know, but I was…

I headed home with my head full of questions about what the bumblebee had been doing and why. Why would it ignore food in favor of bare and uninviting…