4/29/26 Entry #13 Outside Reading

 Nordhaus, Hannah. “The Sneaky Genius of Nature’s Brightest Thinkers.” National Geographic 249, no. 5 (May 2026): 16–37. 


Reading this article helped, along with my wife, to persuade me to add more native wild flowers to our yard to support pollinators. One of the interesting things from this article, a behavioral ecologist used tiny magnetic transponders to track the movement of bees. They plan to study the data to see how bees think with regards to weather and pattern. They proposed it being beneficial for aiding endangering plant populations or in conservation efforts. Scientists were also able to determine that bees have simple problem solving and counting capabilities. The article also highlighted 20 different species of bees. Many of varying size and color, it was fascinating to see how they each fill a pollinator niche in particular ways suited for their unique physiology. The article also talked about themes which were presented in class. The different roles and the hive like behavior which supports the reproductive efforts of the queen. The concept of larva being fed royal jelly to create a future queen. The article also talked about the increase in the market of bees and companies which are filling the demand. This could be a hopeful counter to dwindling bee populations in North America.


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