The new bee species was first identified by Favizia Freitas de Oliveira, a research scientist with the Institute of Biology at Brazil’s Federal University of Bahia and Hebert Luiz Pereira, a Bayer consultant who’s firm, HP Agroconsultoria focuses on bee production and conservation. In 2017, both began working with Henrique Fiorese, whose family owns the Nossa Senhora Aparecida Farm, where the discovery was made. Details surrounding the discovery were featured in the December 23, 2020 edition of ZooKeys Journal, an international science publication.
Through Bayer’s ForwardFarm initiative, the company collaborates with independent farmers like Fiorese in locations throughout the world to share knowledge about modern and sustainable agriculture through first-hand experiences. Pereira and Freitas de Oliveira noticed the new species, which is a solitary bee that does not live in colonies, while studying other bees that were building their nests inside insect hotels that had
Rentokil acquires EPS
Reading, Pa.-based Rentokil North America has acquired Environmental Pest Service (EPS), headquartered in Tampa, Fla. EPS is the parent company of Bug Out Service and Arrow Environmental Services. The acquisition expands Rentokil’s service operations in Florida, North Carolina and Georgia. LR Tullius acted as exclusive financial advisor to EPS; terms were not disclosed.
“The Environmental Pest Service team has built an impressive company, committed to excellence in their pest control craft,” John Myers, president and CEO of Rentokil North America, said in a news release. “We are expanding to meet the growing needs of residential and commercial customers across the Southeast with this acquisition. We look forward to welcoming the customers and more than 600 colleagues to the Rentokil family.”