Honeybees ( Apis mellifera ) are having a rough time. Between pesticides , parasites , disease, and climate change , their populations have been in sharp decline. This bad news is not just for bees themselves, but for us too. Honeybees are a fundamental part of modern agriculture because of their pollination service for crops. The rest of this article is behind a paywall. Please sign in or subscribe to access the full content.

Their diet mainly consists of floral pollen – a snack providing protein, fats, carbs, and a load of micronutrients, including a vital nutrient called sterol. But not all plants have that secret ingredient. With problems in shifting climates, intensive farming and changes in land use, bees are struggling to find enough of this food.

When their die

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