It is well known that animal-pollinated plants usually offer nectar or pollen to reward vectors for pollen transfer. While nectar is a kind of sugar water, pollen is protein-rich, must-need nutrient ...

Seemingly mutualistic relationships can be exploited, in some cases reducing fitness of the exploited species. In plants, the insufficient receipt of pollen limits reproduction. While infrequent ...

Of the symbiotic relationships, mutualism, where both species benefit from the relationship, is the most exciting form. How two disparate species can form a cooperative where both benefit seems like ...

Wild bees across the west face a growing threat from microscopic parasites. Last week an Oregon researcher visited USU’s ...

Have you ever wondered why bees or butterflies flock to certain flowers, while completely ignoring others? How do our flying pollinator friends decide what plants to feast upon, and which to flutter ...

While many plants are pollinated by bees and butterflies, they naturally play favorites. These plants offer beautiful blooms ...

National Pollinator Week is June 21-27. To celebrate, let’s look at some of our important pollinators. First a botany review. Pollination occurs when pollen is moved within a flower or, in the case of ...

We’re currently dealing with winter conditions, but to warm us up, I thought I’d cover something we observe, but may not fully understand, in spring, summer, and fall: why do bees visit flowers? Much ...

Gardeners can prepare for spring 2025 by building a bee-friendly garden. The vital pollinators are in need of conservation as their populations decline. If you have a green thumb, it may be the ...