Small but mighty – from buzzing to building!

Tyrol 2026: All its 400 bee species are declining. All species? No! The domesticated Western Honey Bee is at the rise. Problem: Particularly wild bee diversity and specialization are essential for successful pollination. It is unclear if high honey bee densities pose a further threat to wild bees due to competition, pathogen transmission, and microbiome alteration. I try to shed light on this darkness by investigating, beyond others, bumble bees and honey bees in alpine environments. What is happening in their microbiomes and why should we care if we want to preserve the diversity of bees?

Forget what you know about agriculture. Ants mastered agriculture millions of years ago and Lasius fuliginosus ant is an expert in this field.
These tiny engineers breed some insects (aphids) like livestock to harvest honeydew (aphid poop), their primary building material used as “glue”. By mixing honeydew with wood and soil, they create "bricks" cemented by a living symbiotic fungus—a biological skeleton that doubles as defence against other harmful fungi.
The real mystery? Their genetics. These queens can produce an army of worker clones through parthenogenesis, bypassing the need for mating. Witness a complex society of living architecture and genetic clones. Are you ready to discover the dark genius of these forest queens?