• About Us
  • Client Portal
  • Client Portal
  • Client Portal
  • Client Portal
  • Client Portal
  • Client Portal
  • Client Portal
  • Client Portal
  • Client Portal
  • Client Portal
  • Client Portal
  • Client Portal
  • Client Portal
  • Client Portal
  • Client Portal
  • Client Portal
  • Client Portal
  • Contact Us
  • today headline
  • Write for us
Today Headline
No Result
View All Result
  • breaking news today
    • Politics news
    • Sports
    • Science News & Society
  • Entertainment News
    • Movie
    • Gaming
  • Technology News
    • Automotive
  • Health News
    • Lifestyle
    • Insurance
  • Finance News
    • Money
  • Enterprise
  • Contact Us
  • breaking news today
    • Politics news
    • Sports
    • Science News & Society
  • Entertainment News
    • Movie
    • Gaming
  • Technology News
    • Automotive
  • Health News
    • Lifestyle
    • Insurance
  • Finance News
    • Money
  • Enterprise
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
TodayHeadline
No Result
View All Result

Honeybees use poop as a defense against deadly murder hornets – CNET

December 11, 2020
in Science News & Society
Reading Time: 3 mins read
nmprofetimg 1401 - TodayHeadline

Giant hornets attack a hive that’s unprotected by dung.


Heather Mattila

Here in the US, we’ve been pretty freaked out about murder hornets, those invasive giant Asian hornets that pose a threat to bees. Over in Vietnam, some honeybees figured out a potent defense against the dangerous predator: animal feces.

A study conducted in Vietnam by researchers at the University of Guelph in Canada documented for the first time the use of tools by honeybees. The tool just happens to be poop with a purpose. It turns out that dung deters the giant hornets from invading honeybee hives.

From the lab to your inbox. Get the latest science stories from CNET every week.

The team published its findings in the journal PLOS One on Wednesday. “Our study describes a remarkable weapon in the already sophisticated portfolio of defenses that honey bees have evolved in response to the predatory threats they face,” the paper said.

Murder hornets are known for marshaling coordinated attacks on honeybee hives where they kill the adult residents and take away the bees’ young for food.

A honeybee in Vietnam holds a piece of dung with its mouth parts.


Heather Mattila

The researchers documented how Vietnamese honeybees collected feces and dotted them around the entrances to their hives. In an experiment, the researchers found that the bees preferred to gather extra-smelly dung from pigs and chickens when given the opportunity.

“The hornets spent less than half as much time at nest entrances with moderate to heavy dung spotting as they did at hives with few spots, and they spent only one-tenth as much time chewing at the hive entrances to get at the bees’ brood,” the university said in a statement on Wednesday.

The team considers this behavior to be tool use because it involves using an object from the environment for a purpose, and that the bees shape the dung with their mouths. Why dung works to ward off the hornets is still an open question. The smell may act as a repellant, or it may hide bee odors that attract the hornets.

Murder hornets have been a particular concern in North America due to the threat they pose to bee populations. Honeybees in Canada and the US may not have the same tool-use abilities at their cousins in Vietnam. “They haven’t had the opportunity to evolve defenses. It’s like going into a war cold,” said lead author Heather Mattila.

Authorities in Washington state destroyed a murder hornet nest in October, but there could be more out there. The hornets are a clear threat to bees, but also a worry for humans. Said study co-author Gard Otis, “I got stung by one and it was the most excruciating sting in my life.”

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
1675400526 scidaily icon - TodayHeadline

Study links adoption of electric vehicles with less air pollution and improved health — ScienceDaily

NOLLY FIRST LOOK IMAGE Helena Bonham Carter - TodayHeadline

ITV Nolly Review: Russell T Davies’ Heartfelt Tribute to ‘Difficult’ Women

Australian researchers develop AI based benchmark for measuring Alzheimers progression - TodayHeadline

Australian researchers develop AI-based benchmark for measuring Alzheimer’s progression

4544746 - TodayHeadline

How much state pension you receive with minimum contributions – and how to boost payment | Personal Finance | Finance

PopularStories

1675400526 scidaily icon - TodayHeadline
Science News & Society

Study links adoption of electric vehicles with less air pollution and improved health — ScienceDaily

NOLLY FIRST LOOK IMAGE Helena Bonham Carter - TodayHeadline
Entertainment News

ITV Nolly Review: Russell T Davies’ Heartfelt Tribute to ‘Difficult’ Women

Australian researchers develop AI based benchmark for measuring Alzheimers progression - TodayHeadline
Health News

Australian researchers develop AI-based benchmark for measuring Alzheimer’s progression

4544746 - TodayHeadline
Finance News

How much state pension you receive with minimum contributions – and how to boost payment | Personal Finance | Finance

About Us

Todayheadline the independent news and topics discovery
A home-grown and independent news and topic aggregation . displays breaking news linking to news websites all around the world.

Follow Us

Latest News

1675400526 scidaily icon - TodayHeadline

Study links adoption of electric vehicles with less air pollution and improved health — ScienceDaily

NOLLY FIRST LOOK IMAGE Helena Bonham Carter - TodayHeadline

ITV Nolly Review: Russell T Davies’ Heartfelt Tribute to ‘Difficult’ Women

Australian researchers develop AI based benchmark for measuring Alzheimers progression - TodayHeadline

Australian researchers develop AI-based benchmark for measuring Alzheimer’s progression

1675400526 scidaily icon - TodayHeadline

Study links adoption of electric vehicles with less air pollution and improved health — ScienceDaily

NOLLY FIRST LOOK IMAGE Helena Bonham Carter - TodayHeadline

ITV Nolly Review: Russell T Davies’ Heartfelt Tribute to ‘Difficult’ Women

Australian researchers develop AI based benchmark for measuring Alzheimers progression - TodayHeadline

Australian researchers develop AI-based benchmark for measuring Alzheimer’s progression

  • Real Estate
  • Parenting
  • Cooking
  • NFL Games On TV Today
  • Travel and Tourism
  • Home & Garden
  • Pets
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
  • About

© 2023 All rights are reserved Today headline

No Result
View All Result
  • Real Estate
  • Parenting
  • Cooking
  • NFL Games On TV Today
  • Travel and Tourism
  • Home & Garden
  • Pets
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
  • About

© 2023 All rights are reserved Today headline

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.