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Bees represent vital natural assets contributing significantly to global food production and the maintenance of ecosystems. While studies on climate change effects impacting major pollinators like honeybees and bumblebees raise concerns about global diversity and crop productivity, comprehensive global-scale analyses remain limited. This study explores the repercussions of global warming on 1365 bees across seven families of bees worldwide. To compile a robust global bee occurrence dataset, we utilized the innovative ‘BeeBDC’ R package that amalgamated over 18.3 million bee occurrence records sourced from various repositories. Through species distribution models under the SSP585 scenario in the year 2070, we assessed how climate change influences the climate suitability of bees on a global scale, examining the impacts across continents. Our findings suggested that approximately 65% of bees are likely to witness a decrease in their distribution, with reductions averaging between 28% in Australia and 56% in Europe. Moreover, our analysis indicated that climate change’s impact on bees is projected to be more severe in Africa and Europe, while North America is expected to witness a higher number (336) of bees expanding their distribution. Climate change’s anticipated effects on bee distributions could potentially disrupt existing pollinator–plant networks, posing ecological challenges that emphasize the importance of pollinator diversity, synchrony between plants and bees, and the necessity for focused conservation efforts.

Edible insects have been considered as either nutritious food itemsper se, or as wholesome ingredients to various dishes and components of traditional subsistence. Protein, fat, mineral and vitamin contents in insects generally satisfy the requirements of healthy food, although there is considerable variation associated with insect species, collection site, processing method, insect life stage, rearing technology and insect feed. A comparison of available data(based on dry weight) showed that processing can improve the nutrient content, taste, flavour, appearance and palatability of insects, but that there are additional factors, which can impact the content and composition of insect species that have been recommended for consumption by humans. This review focuses on factors that have received little attention in connection with the task to improve acceptability or choice of edible insects and suggests ways to guarantee food security in countries where deficiencies in protein and minerals are an acute and perpetual problem. This review is meant to assist the food industry to select the most suitable species as well as processing methods for insect-based food products.

Research in biogeography, ecology, and biodiversity hinges on the availability of comprehensive datasets that detail species distributions and environmental conditions. At the forefront of this endeavor is the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). This study focuses on investigating spatial biases and temporal trends in insect pollinator occurrence data within the GBIF dataset, specifically focusing on three pivotal pollinator groups: bees, hoverflies, and butterflies. Addressing these gaps in GBIF data is essential for comprehensive analyses and informed pollinator conservation efforts. We obtained occurrence data from GBIF for seven bee families, six butterfly families, and the Syrphidae family of hoverflies in 2024. Spatial biases were addressed by eliminating duplicate records with identical latitude and longitude coordinates. Species richness was assessed for each family and country. Temporal trends were examined by tallying annual occurrence records for each pollinator family, and the diversity of data sources within GBIF was evaluated by quantifying unique data publishers. We identified initial occurrence counts of 4,922,390 for bees, 1,703,131 for hoverflies, and 31,700,696 for butterflies, with a substantial portion containing duplicate records. On average, 81.4% of bee data, 77.2% of hoverfly data, and 65.4% of butterfly data were removed post-duplicate elimination for dataset refinement. Our dataset encompassed 9286 unique bee species, 2574 hoverfly species, and 17,895 butterfly species. Our temporal analysis revealed a notable trend in data recording, with 80% of bee and butterfly data collected after 2022, and a similar threshold for hoverflies reached after 2023. The United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Sweden consistently emerged as the top countries for occurrence data across all three groups. The analysis of data publishers highlighted iNaturalist.org as a top contributor to bee data. Overall, we uncovered significant biases in the occurrence data of pollinators from GBIF. These biases pose substantial challenges for future research on pollinator ecology and biodiversity conservation.

In pollination ecology research, there is a notable lack of understanding regarding the evolving trends and changes in scientific topics, which hampers the field's ability to address crucial ecological questions. Closing these knowledge gaps is essential for pollination ecologists to protect pollinator populations and their critical ecological roles. To analyze the work of scientists in pollination ecology, we identified researchers through Google Scholar, focusing on those who listed “pollination” or “pollinators” in their profiles. We also analyzed the 40 most‐cited papers in pollination ecology by these scientists, each with over 1000 citations, using statistical tests to explore the relationships between citation counts and various influencing factors. We also examined the top 50 most frequently used bi‐grams in article titles by these scientists to identify trends in research topics. We identified 223 pollination ecology scientists who collectively authored 14,661 papers, accumulating 1,570,139 citations. On average, each scientist received 7040 citations, with a mean H‐index of 32.5. Notably, 67.8% of these citations came from papers where the scientists were not the first author. Analyzing the 40 most‐cited papers revealed no significant correlations between citation counts and potential influencing factors. However, 24 of these papers emphasized the global importance of pollinators and their declines. Our trend analysis showed an increase in publications starting around 1974, peaking in 2020, and then declining. Citations have decreased since 2010, likely indicating a shift towards more specialized research topics. The analysis highlights a continued focus on bee research, particularly honeybees (Apis mellifera), within pollination ecology. Despite this focus, there has been a decline in publications since 2020 and in citations since 2010, suggesting the need for diversifying research themes to maintain the field's impact and relevance. Pollination ecology has garnered increasing attention due to its fundamental role in biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services. However, a lack of understanding regarding evolving trends and research shifts poses challenges for addressing emerging ecological questions. Our analysis encompasses the contributions of 223 prominent scientists in the field, their collective 14,661 publications, and over 1.5 million citations. By evaluating citation patterns and trends in research topics, we uncover key insights, including a declining trend in publications since 2020 and citations since 2010, alongside a sustained emphasis on bees, particularly honeybees (Apis mellifera).

Remote sensing research stands at a critical juncture, grappling with challenges in identifying shifting trends and emerging scientific priorities. These gaps limit the field's ability to effectively address pressing environmental issues and foster innovation in related applications, particularly in conservation. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive scientometric analysis of approximately 20,000 researchers identified via Google Scholar who explicitly list “remote sensing” in their profiles, examining their publication trends, citation patterns, collaboration networks, and disciplinary affiliations. The analysis utilized a dataset comprising over 837,658 publications and nearly 20 million citations spanning from 1700 to 2024. Our findings reveal that each researcher has accumulated an average of 1435 citations, with a mean H‐index of 10.9 and an i10‐index of 17.4. Collaboration plays a pivotal role in the field, as evidenced by 79% of citations originating from co‐authored works. The peak of scientific output was observed in 2022, with 54,304 publications—the highest annual total recorded. However, a slight decline was noted in 2024, with 50,096 papers published. Citations per paper peaked in the mid‐2010s, reaching their highest levels between 2015 and 2020. In contrast, recent years have witnessed a marked decline, with total citations dropping from over 1.1 million in 2020 to 317,585 in 2023 and just 84,389 in 2024. Keyword analysis identified “classification,” “climate,” “forest,” “land,” and “mapping” as dominant themes, reflecting the field's continued focus on addressing global environmental challenges. While the sustained growth in publication output underscores the dynamism of remote sensing research, the declining citation counts suggest a shift toward highly specialized studies that appeal to narrower audiences. This trend necessitates a strategic reassessment of research priorities and publishing practices to ensure that remote sensing studies maintain their relevance and impact in addressing urgent global challenges. Our study analyzes publication and citation trends among ~20,000 remote sensing researchers using a dataset of over 837,000 publications and 20 million citations. Results reveal peak scientific output in 2022 and a sharp citation decline by 2024, highlighting a shift toward narrower, specialized research. The findings underscore the need for strategic realignment in remote sensing to sustain impact on global environmental challenges.

Small hive beetle (Aethina tumida Murray), indigenous to Africa, has spread to other parts of the world where has become a threat to the honeybee industry. In the present study, insecticidal properties (contact, fumigant, and repellent toxicities) of three main constituents derived from Trachyspermum ammi (L.) Sprague ex Turrill fruits essential oil were evaluated against adult small hive beetles under laboratory conditions. The Hydrodistillation of T. ammi fruits, grown in Ethiopia, yielded a pale yellow essential oil (3.5% v/w) with a strong aromatic odor. Analyses by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry identified twenty-two compounds that accounted for 98.68% of the total essential oil. The essential oil was dominated by monoterpenoids, comprising γ-terpinene (32.72%), p-cymene (27.92%), and thymol (24.36%). The essential oil showed strong contact and fumigation toxicities against the small hive beetle adults, with a LD50 value of 66.64 µg/adult and a LC50 value of 89.03 mg/L air, respectively. Among the main constituents, thymol was the most toxic component found in both contact (LD50 = 41.79 µg/adult) and fumigation (LC50 = 52.66 mg/L air) toxicities. The other two components, γ-terpinene and p-cymene, were less effective in both contact and fumigant toxicities testing. The results showed that T. ammi essential oil and thymol could serve as potential alternatives to synthetic insecticides for the control of small hive beetle adults.

Young workers, i.e., nurse honey bees, synthesize and secrete royal jelly to feed the brood and queen. Since royal jelly is a protein-rich substance, the quality of royal jelly may be influenced by the consumption of feed with varying protein content. We tested whether honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies compensates for the nutritional quality to produce royal jelly by feeding different pollen patties made of oak or rapeseed pollen. After harvesting royal jelly, we examined the chemical composition including proximate nutrients, amino acids, proteins, fatty acids, and minerals of royal jelly samples obtained from two treatments. The results revealed that pollen patties with different nutritional levels did not influence the nutritional composition except for the crude fat. The levels of 10-HDA, which serves as an indicator of the royal jelly quality, showed no significant difference between the oak and rapeseed treatments, with values of 1.9 and 2.1 g/100 g, respectively. However, we found some differences in the protein intensity, particularly the MRJP3 precursor, MRJP3-like, and glucose oxidase. This study suggests that honey bees may have mechanisms to compensate for nutritional standards to meet the brood’s and queen’s nutritional requirements during bee pollen collection, preserving bee bread and royal jelly secretion.

In Asia, Apis cerana (native) and Apis mellifera (introduced) are the primary managed honeybee species, vital for pollination and honey production. However, climate change and other threats are driving pollinator declines, while research on their ecology in Asia remains limited. Bridging these knowledge gaps is crucial for developing conservation strategies to sustain pollination services and agricultural systems in the region. In this study, we evaluated the potential impacts of climate change on the spatial interactions between two honeybee species (A. cerana and A. mellifera) and 20 pollinator-dependent crops across 23 countries in Asia. We used species distribution models (SDMs) to generate habitat suitability maps for both honeybees and crops under current and future climate scenarios (SSP585 for 2070). Schoener’s D statistic was employed to quantify the spatial overlap, and a novel spatial approach was applied to create mismatch maps that identified areas of increased or decreased interactions. We found that, on average, A. cerana demonstrated higher overlap with 12 crops compared to 8 for A. mellifera in future projections. Key crops like sesame, eggplant, and mango retained strong overlaps with both pollinators, while mismatches were more pronounced for A. cerana, particularly with watermelon, strawberry, and buckwheat. In contrast, A. mellifera showed greater stability and resilience in spatial overlaps with crops such as soybean and sunflower. Overall, A. cerana is expected to face more significant spatial mismatches, highlighting its vulnerability to climate-induced changes and the critical need for targeted conservation efforts. This study highlights the urgent need for region-specific conservation strategies by identifying areas at risk of losing critical pollination services. Our results provide a crucial framework for informed management and policy interventions to safeguard pollination-dependent agricultural systems and biodiversity in Asia amidst accelerating environmental challenges.

This study delves into the concept of niche conservatism (NC) and its implications for how hornets (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) and honeybees respond to climate change. Our primary objectives are threefold: firstly, to assess whether distinct environmental niche spaces (E‐space) exist between 12 hornets and honeybees like Apis cerana and Apis mellifera in Asia; Secondly, to explore the degree to which Asian hornets have attained geographic equilibrium alongside honeybee species. Lastly, is to investigate how the geographic niche overlap (G‐space) between hornets and honeybees could potentially change under climate change scenarios. To accomplish these goals, we employed ordination and ecological niche modeling techniques to analyze 91 pairs of hornets and honeybees in both geographic (G‐space) and environmental (E‐space) contexts. Then, we projected the potential impacts of climate change on the future geographic overlap between hornets and honeybees, specifically under the SSP585 climate scenario for the year 2070. Our results demonstrated that the environmental niches (E‐space) of hornets and honeybees can be treated as interchangeable, indicating they have similar environmental preferences despite being unrelated taxa. We found that Vespa velutina currently exhibits a moderate geographic niche overlap (G‐space) of 0.63 with both honeybee species. Meanwhile, Vespa mandarinia demonstrates an overlap of 0.46 with Apis cerana and 0.63 with Apis mellifera. The overlap of Vespa velutina with Apis cerana might potentially decrease to 0.51 and 0.56 with Apis mellifera. For Vespa mandarinia, the overlap could reach 0.41 with Apis cerana and 0.6 with Apis mellifera under a climate change scenario. This study indicates that the limited spatial overlap between honeybees and hornets across certain areas in Asia is more likely influenced by geographical barriers rather than solely environmental unsuitability for hornets. In this study, we delve into the concept of niche conservatism (NC) and its implications for how hornets (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) and honeybees respond to climate change. In this study, we delve into the concept of niche conservatism (NC) and its implications for how hornets (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) and honeybees respond to climate change.

Honey is a widely consumed natural product, and its entomological origin can significantly influence its market value. Therefore, traceability of the entomological origin of honey should also be considered in honey quality control protocols. Although several methods exist, such as physicochemical characterization and bioactivity profiling of honey of different entomological origins, the most promising three methods for entomological authentication of honey include protein-based identification, chemical profiling, and a DNA-based method. All of these methods can be applied for reliable identification of the entomological origin of honey. However, as the honey is a complex matrix, the inconsistency of the results obtained by these methods is a pragmatic challenge, and therefore, the use of each method in all the cases is questionable. Most of these methodologies can be used for authentication of newly harvested honey and it is worth understanding the possibility of using these methods for authentication of relatively old samples. Most probably, using DNA-based methods targeting small fragments of DNA can provide the best result in old samples, however, the species-specific primers targeting short fragments are limited and not available for all species. Therefore, using universal primers in combination with a DNA metabarcoding approach can be a good solution that requires further investigation. This present article describes the applications of different methods, their pros, and their cons to identify honey based on entomological origin.