Bees

From hives to orchards, bees have an outsized presence in our lives. Find out more about these diverse insects, and how to help conserve them as their numbers diminish.

Latest in Bees

Environment

A swarm of honeybees can have the same electrical charge as a storm cloud A swarm of honeybees can have the same electrical charge as a storm cloud

By Laura Baisas

a closeup of honeybees on honeycomb

Science

The first honeybee vaccine could protect the entire hive, starting with the queen The first honeybee vaccine could protect the entire hive, starting with the queen

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

Six young bees curled inside a honeycomb

Environment

Bees make more friends when they’re full of healthy gut bacteria Bees make more friends when they’re full of healthy gut bacteria

By Philip Kiefer

Bees hanging onto each other

Science

Do we still need to save the bees? Do we still need to save the bees?

By Philip Kiefer

Bee-pollinating-purple-flower

Environment

Build a garden that’ll have pollinators buzzin’ Build a garden that’ll have pollinators buzzin’

By Jennifer Ball

bees-drinking-nectar-from-feeder

Environment

5 ways to keep bees buzzing that don’t require a hive 5 ways to keep bees buzzing that don’t require a hive

By Sandra Gutierrez G.

Orange and black butterfly on yellow flower

Environment

Bees and butterflies have trouble smelling flowers in polluted air Bees and butterflies have trouble smelling flowers in polluted air

By Maggie Galloway

What’s sweeter than honey to these bees? Rotting meat.

Environment

What’s sweeter than honey to these bees? Rotting meat. What’s sweeter than honey to these bees? Rotting meat.

By Philip Kiefer

dirty hands spray green plants with a plastic bottle

Environment

Pesticides leave a lasting mark on pollinating bees Pesticides leave a lasting mark on pollinating bees

By Kate Baggaley

a giant hornet crawls on a box

Environment

These honeybees have a surprisingly fierce battle cry These honeybees have a surprisingly fierce battle cry

By Kate Baggaley

Pesticides might be worse for bees than we thought

Environment

Pesticides might be worse for bees than we thought Pesticides might be worse for bees than we thought

honey bees swarming

Environment

Temperature tells honey bees what time it is Temperature tells honey bees what time it is

By Philip Kiefer

Science

What’s stranger than bees telling time? How we learned that they can. What’s stranger than bees telling time? How we learned that they can.

By Popular Science Team

A bumble bee drinks nectar from a purple cone flower.

Environment

City gardens are abuzz with imperiled native bees City gardens are abuzz with imperiled native bees

By Lauren Leffer

Black and yellow social wasps build a geometric nest.

Environment

Why some bees and wasps are more likely to sting you Why some bees and wasps are more likely to sting you

By Lauren Leffer

Environment

15 Bee-utiful Pictures Of Bees 15 Bee-utiful Pictures Of Bees

Close up image of a wasp

Environment

The most effective ways to avoid bee, wasp, and hornet stings The most effective ways to avoid bee, wasp, and hornet stings

By Alisha McDarris

Roads and highways disrupt bee pollination

Environment

Roads and highways disrupt bee pollination Roads and highways disrupt bee pollination

By Ellie Shechet

wasp eating bug

Environment

Wasps are the bee’s knees Wasps are the bee’s knees

By Philip Kiefer

Local honey might help your allergies—but only if you believe it will

Environment

Local honey might help your allergies—but only if you believe it will Local honey might help your allergies—but only if you believe it will

By Sara Chodosh

honeycomb in a plastic bag

Environment

Bee theft is almost a perfect crime—but there’s a new sheriff in town Bee theft is almost a perfect crime—but there’s a new sheriff in town

By Andrew Zaleski

Environment

Humans need bumble bees—and they are disappearing faster than we thought Humans need bumble bees—and they are disappearing faster than we thought

a closeup of a male black Homalictus achrostu

Environment

These newly discovered iridescent bees are already at risk of extinction These newly discovered iridescent bees are already at risk of extinction

Male honeybees might blind queens to keep them hive-bound

Environment

Male honeybees might blind queens to keep them hive-bound Male honeybees might blind queens to keep them hive-bound

By Sara Chodosh

All the buzz about NASA’s new fleet of space bees

Science

All the buzz about NASA’s new fleet of space bees All the buzz about NASA’s new fleet of space bees

Giant bee Wallace's discovery extinction

Environment

Scientists thought they lost the world’s largest bee, but it was hiding in plain sight Scientists thought they lost the world’s largest bee, but it was hiding in plain sight

By Eleanor Cummins

A bee lands on a yellow flower.

Environment

Bees deal with darkness the same way humans do Bees deal with darkness the same way humans do

By Charlie Wood

Several dozen bees crawl across a yellow honeycomb.

Environment

Weedkiller weakens bees by messing with their microbiomes Weedkiller weakens bees by messing with their microbiomes

By Jillian Mock

a many trying to sleep

Science

The weirdest things we learned this week: deadly insomnia, the prettiest poop, and emergency beekeepers The weirdest things we learned this week: deadly insomnia, the prettiest poop, and emergency beekeepers

By Rachel Feltman

Pesticides are making bees dumber

Environment

Pesticides are making bees dumber Pesticides are making bees dumber

Honeybees are surprisingly great at math

Environment

Honeybees are surprisingly great at math Honeybees are surprisingly great at math

By Claire Maldarelli

To shorten flights and lower emissions, scientists are discussing the birds and the bees

Technology

To shorten flights and lower emissions, scientists are discussing the birds and the bees To shorten flights and lower emissions, scientists are discussing the birds and the bees

By Marlene Cimons

A sting-free guide to becoming a DIY beekeeper

Environment

A sting-free guide to becoming a DIY beekeeper A sting-free guide to becoming a DIY beekeeper

By Eleanor Cummins

Rising temperatures are opening new territories for venomous creatures—including your backyard

Environment

Rising temperatures are opening new territories for venomous creatures—including your backyard Rising temperatures are opening new territories for venomous creatures—including your backyard

By Kate Baggaley

Saving pollinators is about more than just honeybees

Environment

Saving pollinators is about more than just honeybees Saving pollinators is about more than just honeybees

By Philip Donkersley/The Conversation

Here’s a great excuse to stop mowing your lawn

Environment

Here’s a great excuse to stop mowing your lawn Here’s a great excuse to stop mowing your lawn

By Kate Baggaley

Bee sits on yellow flower.

Environment

Want to help the bees? Keep these out of your garden. Want to help the bees? Keep these out of your garden.

By Ellen Airhart

a butterfly sits on a frog

Environment

Bugs are buzzing off, and that’s very bad Bugs are buzzing off, and that’s very bad

By Kendra Pierre-Louis

The bees behind your morning coffee might be in big trouble

Environment

The bees behind your morning coffee might be in big trouble The bees behind your morning coffee might be in big trouble

By Marlene Cimons

Want to know how to save the bees?

Environment

Want to know how to save the bees? Want to know how to save the bees?

By Sara Chodosh

Environment

Watch these bees attack a baseball game—then learn why they did it Watch these bees attack a baseball game—then learn why they did it

By Sara Chodosh

The almond milk craze could be bad news for bees

Environment

The almond milk craze could be bad news for bees The almond milk craze could be bad news for bees

By Rachel Feltman

You really can help save bees by planting wildflowers

Environment

You really can help save bees by planting wildflowers You really can help save bees by planting wildflowers

Antibiotic overuse might be bad for bees

Environment

Antibiotic overuse might be bad for bees Antibiotic overuse might be bad for bees

By Mary Beth Griggs

Watch scientists train bees to play with tiny soccer balls

Environment

Watch scientists train bees to play with tiny soccer balls Watch scientists train bees to play with tiny soccer balls

By Mary Beth Griggs

A small city in Iowa is devoting 1,000 acres of land to America’s vanishing bees

Environment

A small city in Iowa is devoting 1,000 acres of land to America’s vanishing bees A small city in Iowa is devoting 1,000 acres of land to America’s vanishing bees

rusty-patched bumblebee

Environment

The rusty patched bumblebee is probably doomed The rusty patched bumblebee is probably doomed

Sorry, but these pollinating robots can’t replace bees

Environment

Sorry, but these pollinating robots can’t replace bees Sorry, but these pollinating robots can’t replace bees

By Mary Beth Griggs

rusty patched bumblebee

Environment

This bumblebee is the first to become endangered—but it won’t be the last This bumblebee is the first to become endangered—but it won’t be the last

Biopesticides at organic farm

Environment

Farmers Are Using Bees To Spread Nature’s Own Pesticides Farmers Are Using Bees To Spread Nature’s Own Pesticides

By Brooke Borel for bioGraphic

Here’s What You Can Do To Help The Declining Bee Population

Environment

Here’s What You Can Do To Help The Declining Bee Population Here’s What You Can Do To Help The Declining Bee Population

By Samantha Cole

How This Flower Dupes Flies Into Pollinating It

Environment

How This Flower Dupes Flies Into Pollinating It How This Flower Dupes Flies Into Pollinating It

By Kate Baggaley

Watch A Bumblebee Tug A String To Get Lunch

Environment

Watch A Bumblebee Tug A String To Get Lunch Watch A Bumblebee Tug A String To Get Lunch

By Kate Baggaley

Bees Show Optimism After A Dopamine-Boosting Sweet Treat

Environment

Bees Show Optimism After A Dopamine-Boosting Sweet Treat Bees Show Optimism After A Dopamine-Boosting Sweet Treat

By Samantha Cole

Bees On An F-22

Environment

Best Fighter Jet In History Grounded By Bees Best Fighter Jet In History Grounded By Bees

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Scientists Chart The Lifetime Of A Bee In Flight Paths

Environment

Scientists Chart The Lifetime Of A Bee In Flight Paths Scientists Chart The Lifetime Of A Bee In Flight Paths

By Lindsey Kratochwill

Birds And Humans ‘Talk’ To Each Other To Outsmart Bees

Environment

Birds And Humans ‘Talk’ To Each Other To Outsmart Bees Birds And Humans ‘Talk’ To Each Other To Outsmart Bees

By Coby McDonald

Buzz Is Disappearing From ‘Honey Nut Cheerios’ Boxes

Environment

Buzz Is Disappearing From ‘Honey Nut Cheerios’ Boxes Buzz Is Disappearing From ‘Honey Nut Cheerios’ Boxes

By Jason Lederman

Oslo Builds Bee Highway To Save Precious Pollinators

Environment

Oslo Builds Bee Highway To Save Precious Pollinators Oslo Builds Bee Highway To Save Precious Pollinators

By Mary Beth Griggs

Bacteria From Bees’ Bellies May Fight Persistent Pathogens

Environment

Bacteria From Bees’ Bellies May Fight Persistent Pathogens Bacteria From Bees’ Bellies May Fight Persistent Pathogens

How Honey Bees Point Their Way To Food

Environment

How Honey Bees Point Their Way To Food How Honey Bees Point Their Way To Food

By Lindsey Kratochwill

Environment

How Robo-Bees Could Save America’s Crops How Robo-Bees Could Save America’s Crops

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Environment

Follow A Queen Bee On Her Maiden Mating Flight Follow A Queen Bee On Her Maiden Mating Flight

By Francie Diep

10 Spectacular Bees Native To The U.S.

Environment

10 Spectacular Bees Native To The U.S. 10 Spectacular Bees Native To The U.S.

By Francie Diep