Simon Tierney
@biol-si.bsky.social
evolutionary ecologist at large
No fruit in the 2025 fruit bowl - @abcnewsaustralia.bsky.social Victoria Pengilley interviews yours truly. Compounding affects of weather delayed native bees + Varroa mite infested feral honey bees? Is Bilpin the Canary in the Coalmine? The jury is in deliberation:
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
This apple grower has noticed a peculiar change on his farm
Across the Blue Mountains, apple farmers are noticing less fruit this season. Some are wondering if it's linked to varroa mite.
www.abc.net.au
November 10, 2025 at 11:08 AM
No fruit in the 2025 fruit bowl - @abcnewsaustralia.bsky.social Victoria Pengilley interviews yours truly. Compounding affects of weather delayed native bees + Varroa mite infested feral honey bees? Is Bilpin the Canary in the Coalmine? The jury is in deliberation:
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11...
Fresh global-analysis admirably lead by @eeraertsmaxime.bsky.social (+ @oliviabernauer.bsky.social PhD data) indicates native bee pollination services leads to higher-quality apples = improved weight & seed set.
How do you like them apples? 🍎
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
How do you like them apples? 🍎
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Global synthesis of apple pollination research highlights general pollen limitation and positive contributions of wild bees compared to honeybees
Our study highlights that pollen limitation is common in this global crop. While managed honeybees are dominant pollinators, a diverse community of wild bees contributes significantly to apple pollin...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
August 27, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Fresh global-analysis admirably lead by @eeraertsmaxime.bsky.social (+ @oliviabernauer.bsky.social PhD data) indicates native bee pollination services leads to higher-quality apples = improved weight & seed set.
How do you like them apples? 🍎
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
How do you like them apples? 🍎
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Simon Tierney
Cover image in #G3 highlighting our new paper in "Shifts in bee diet breadths are associated with gene gains and losses and positive selection across olfactory receptors"
academic.oup.com/g3journal/ar...
@genetics-gsa.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/g3journal/ar...
@genetics-gsa.bsky.social
August 7, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Cover image in #G3 highlighting our new paper in "Shifts in bee diet breadths are associated with gene gains and losses and positive selection across olfactory receptors"
academic.oup.com/g3journal/ar...
@genetics-gsa.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/g3journal/ar...
@genetics-gsa.bsky.social
New perspective on bee microbiomes from a progressively provisioning social tribe that frequently engage in trophallaxis and removal of faeces in stem nests that lack brood cells.
Evolutionary Applications:
doi.org/10.1111/eva....
Evolutionary Applications:
doi.org/10.1111/eva....
August 1, 2025 at 1:00 AM
New perspective on bee microbiomes from a progressively provisioning social tribe that frequently engage in trophallaxis and removal of faeces in stem nests that lack brood cells.
Evolutionary Applications:
doi.org/10.1111/eva....
Evolutionary Applications:
doi.org/10.1111/eva....
Reposted by Simon Tierney
This review touches upon how ancestral solitary stem-nesting bees (Xylocopini) keep microbes siloed, while derived social Allodapini share them in a network through trophallaxis, brood contact & frass cleanup 🐝🐝🐝
📸 Fig. 2
📸 Fig. 2
July 30, 2025 at 7:25 PM
This review touches upon how ancestral solitary stem-nesting bees (Xylocopini) keep microbes siloed, while derived social Allodapini share them in a network through trophallaxis, brood contact & frass cleanup 🐝🐝🐝
📸 Fig. 2
📸 Fig. 2
first phylogeny for nocturnal foraging nomiine bees:
doi.org/10.1007/s118...
doi.org/10.1007/s118...
Origin of obligate dim-light foraging in nomiine sweat bees (Halictidae: Nomiinae), with the description of a new species of Mellitidia - Arthropod-Plant Interactions
Dim-light foraging is exhibited by the majority of the seven bee families (facultative behavior—five families; obligate behavior – four families) and represents an underappreciated aspect of pollinati...
doi.org
July 4, 2025 at 11:26 AM
first phylogeny for nocturnal foraging nomiine bees:
doi.org/10.1007/s118...
doi.org/10.1007/s118...
new paper on bee brain development in social contexts:
doi.org/10.3389/fevo...
doi.org/10.3389/fevo...
Frontiers | Brain development in a facultatively social allodapine bee aligns with caste, but not group living
IntroductionThe ‘social brain hypothesis’ proposes that brain development (particularly primates) is driven by social complexity, more than group size. Yet, ...
doi.org
July 4, 2025 at 11:16 AM
new paper on bee brain development in social contexts:
doi.org/10.3389/fevo...
doi.org/10.3389/fevo...