The Bee's Knees

It's Not Just About the Flowers: The important role of sand and soil in where bees thrive

Soil might not be the first thing you think of when you think about bees—but for most species, it’s home. In this episode, Dr. Marissa Chase shares new research from Minn

Designing Better Wildflower Mixes

Wildflower seed mixes are a go‑to strategy for supporting pollinators — but designing one that actually performs is more complex than it looks. Dr. Uta Müller shares her

How Bumblebees Make Smart Decisions: Inside their flexible learning strategies

How do bumblebees decide which flowers to visit? They weigh colors, shapes, and patterns—but not all at once. In this episode, Dr. Anna Stöckl shares surprising research

The Bees Beneath Our Feet: Exploring the hidden world of pavement‑nesting bees

Cities may look sealed and sterile, but Berlin’s sidewalks tell a different story. Dr. Sophie Lokatis reveals how pavement cracks host thriving communities of ground‑nest

The Bees We Haven't Met Yet: Exploring the world’s uncounted wild bee diversity

What if one of the most important numbers in nature has been wrong this whole time? Dr. James Dorey joins us to unpack his team’s groundbreaking global estimate of bee di

Backyard Bee Threats: How everyday bug‑repellent vapors can disrupt bumblebees

A common household mosquito repellent may be silently harming the bees in your garden. Dr. Kimmo Kaakinen shares his study on how volatilized prallethrin—used in househol

When the Buzz Stops: Europe’s Wild Pollinator Collapse

What happens if the essential work of Europe’s wild pollinators suddenly disappears? Dr. Arndt Feuerbacher joins us to share insights from his study on how wild bees unde

Finding the Unseen Bees: Take Action This World Bee Day

This World Bee Day, discover the gentle ground‑nesting bees powering our ecosystems. Dr. Jordan Kueneman explains how the GNBee project uses community science to map thei

Gut Check for Urban Bees: Hidden pollinator pressures in cities

As cities grow, wild bees are finding surprising ways to cope with urban life. In this episode, Dr. Min Tang joins us to explore how a bee’s gut microbiome can reveal wha

From Landfill to Pollinator Paradise: Rewilding a forgotten space

How can creativity, collaboration, and ecological know‑how turn even the most unlikely landscapes into thriving habitats for pollinators and people? We visit Indian Lake,

A Wild Bee Squeeze: A study in bee conservation

We head to the quiet Mediterranean island of Giannutri, where researchers ran a rare experiment to understand how managed honey bee colonies affect wild bees. By temporar

RePollinate: Hands-on Help for Native Pollinators

Small steps can reshape entire landscapes. In this episode, we feature RePollinate, a Scottish charity mobilizing communities and businesses to safeguard the UK’s pollina

How Pesticides Endanger Wild Bees

Think pesticide assessments protect wild bees? Think again. Dr. Sabrina Rondeau uncovers how soil pesticide exposure threatens ground‑nesting bees; risks overlooked by cu

Bees in the Fast Lane: Roadsides as Pollinator Havens

Today’s episode takes us to the Brazilian savanna — for a bit of capybara spotting, but for a surprising discovery along the roadside. Dr. Monize Altomare’s recent study

The Digital Climate Footprint: What AI Means for Bees

What does your daily AI query have to do with bees? We explore the hidden connections between digital growth and ecological resilience with Dr. Rob Nicholls. His research

Season 4: Bee a Hero

Season 4 of The Bee’s Knees buzzes in this February with a new call to action: Bee a Hero. This season dives into the surprising ways native bees connect to our lives—fro

Pollinators in Orbit: How NASA is Helping Map Bee Landscape

In this episode, we’re exploring a fresh approach to bee research. Gwen Kirschke is combining remote sensing technology with ecological research to map floral resources a

Pollination Overload: Why More Honey Bees Don't Always Mean Better Crops

Can having too many honeybee hives in our landscapes be detrimental? Dr. Ainhoa Magrach led a comprehensive review that brings fresh clarity to a long-standing question—h

The Nutrient Niche: What Bumble Bees Eat

Are we planting the right flowers for bees? We’re talking about the surprising dietary habits of wild bumble bees with Dr. Justin Bain who shares fascinating insights int

Living with Bees: Urban Harmony & Habitat

What does it mean to live with wild bees in an urban setting? Today we speak with Matthew Donahue who shares insights on how cities can be adapted to support bee populati