Chernobyl-level radiation harmful to bees

 Mildly interesting. https://phys.org/news/2020-10-current-chernobyl-level-bees.html 

Coronavirus Update October 2020

Please be aware of the latest Covid-19 beekeeping guidance for England, Wales and Scotland.  The updated information now include separate links to the Public Health Guidance. Covid-19_and_Beekeeping_Update_v3 COVID-19_and_Beekeeping_-_Welsh_Language_Version v3   If you have any queries please contact: For England: BeeHealth.Info@defra.gov.uk  For Wales: HoneyBeeHealth@gov.wales / GwenynMelIach@llyw.cymru For Scotland: Bees_Mailbox@gov.scot From the advice If you are self-isolating... If you are responsible for looking after bees, you should make alternative arrangements for their essential care if you, your family or your staff become ill or are unable to look after their welfare. If this is not possible, we would advise that you only attend to the basic needs and welfare of your bees where you can ensure you do not have contact with other people and you are able to follow all government advice on actions to minimise the risk of sp...

from British Beekeepers Association https://ift.tt/34eyVla
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The gut microbiome defines social group membership in honey bee colonies

I may get around to reading this... or I may not. I think that covers it.

https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/42/eabd3431 

1. Cassondra L. Vernier1,*, 
2. View ORCID ProfileIris M. Chin1, 
3. View ORCID ProfileBoahemaa Adu-Oppong2, 
4. View ORCID ProfileJoshua J. Krupp3, 
5. View ORCID ProfileJoel Levine3, 
6. View ORCID ProfileGautam Dantas2,4,5,6 and 
7. View ORCID ProfileYehuda Ben-Shahar1,†

Chicago: Urban beekeeping may be bad for bees

In summary, the European Honeybee is not native to North America, and rising numbers may threaten survival of local bee species. Nicely written piece here: https://www.wired.com/story/why-some-ecologists-worry-about-rooftop-honey-bee-programs/

Beehives on a 52-story Chicago highrise are weighed down with ratchet straps and cinder blocks. 
PHOTOGRAPH: SARAH LONG 

Kew: Urban beekeeping may be bad for bees

 "In some places, such as London, so many people have established urban hives that the honey bee populations are threatening other bee species. Increasing evidence shows that there is insufficient forage to support current beehive numbers in London (see Figure 3). This is a problem for bee conservation, as honey bees outcompete wild bees by monopolising floral resources. Moreover, some reports suggest honey bees can transmit diseases to other wild species. So, beekeeping to save bees could actually be having the opposite effect."

Page 55 https://www.kew.org/sites/default/files/2020-09/Kew%20State%20of%20the%20Worlds%20Plants%20and%20Fungi.pdf