Trialling techniques for rearing long-tongued bumblebees under laboratory conditions

Bumblebees are important pollinating insects, but many species have suffered declines over the last century. Long-tongued bumblebees have been identified as particularly at risk, partly due to their more selective diet. Attempts to study these species in captivity have been impeded by stress-induced behaviours which cause queens to kill or abandon their brood. Here, we attempt to further develop techniques, using queen pairing and Bombus...