Buzz

On the way out

The decline of wild bees and other pollinators may be an even more alarming threat to crop yields than the loss of honeybees, a worldwide study suggests, revealing the irreplaceable contribution of wild insects to global food production.

A second new study published in Science on Thursday showed more than half the wild bee species were lost in the 20th century in the US.

Meanwhile scientists are working on robotic bees, which as well as 'autonomously pollinating a field of crops' will have added advantages such as 'military surveillance' and 'traffic monitoring'.   Who needs bees?

On the way in