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Gunjan Gera is researching whether the life of commercial bumblebee hives can be extended with an artificial pheromone that mimics those from queen bumblebees. It s hoped the bees can then pollinate crops for longer.
Scientists are researching how to keep bumblebee hives pollinating for longer, by using a pheromone that mimics one excreted by the queen bumblebee. The researchers hope it can be used to extend the amount of time crops can be pollinated, thereby reducing costs to growers. Hives would normally be replaced by growers every three to four weeks but its hoped that could be extended to at least six to eight weeks.