Analysis: Bombus terrestris, also known as the buff-tailed bumblebee, is a model-organism for pollinator research and evaluating how they respond on both molecular and ecological levels could be a step towards saving the bees.
"Save the bees"; This phrase has been meandering through various media platforms and trending hashtags for a while now. But who are these bees? And why should we to save them?
Ireland is home to 99 species of bee. Our collection of bees is composed almost entirely of bumblebee and solitary bee species with just one species of the iconic honeybee established here. One in three of our bee species are threatened with extinction.