中文导读

“拯救蜜蜂”的口号让英国的养蜂爱好者越来越多：登记养蜂人从2010年的1.9万人增至2025年的4.7万人。可蜜蜂多了，对其他野生传粉昆虫一定是好事吗？安格利亚鲁斯金大学的研究者在剑桥周边五处靠近蜂箱的地点观察了两年，记录了黑莓丛和常春藤花上的300次“争花”互动。结果显示，蜜蜂赢得了大多数争夺，至少五分之一的胜利是靠把对手推下花朵或直接赶走；蜜蜂越密集的地方，野生传粉昆虫越少。研究还发现天气较热时竞争更频繁，可能与高温使花蜜减少有关。研究者强调，目的不是劝人别养蜂，而是帮助规划，让蜜蜂与野生昆虫共享花朵。文章按“现象—研究方法—结果—解释—影响与边界”展开，阅读时可留意 yet、as well、because、probably 等词如何表达转折、补充、原因与推测。

正文

In many British towns, keeping bees has become a popular hobby. The number of registered beekeepers rose from 19,000 in 2010 to 47,000 in 2025, and many people start because they want to help “save the bees”. Yet a new study suggests that more honeybees may make life harder for the wild insects that visit the same flowers.

本段译文

在英国许多城镇，养蜂已成为一项流行的爱好。登记在册的养蜂人从2010年的1.9万人增加到2025年的4.7万人，许多人开始养蜂是因为想帮忙“拯救蜜蜂”。然而，一项新研究表明，蜜蜂增多可能会让光顾同一批花朵的野生昆虫日子更难过。

The study was led by researchers at Anglia Ruskin University and published in the journal Ecological Entomology. Over two years, the team watched insects at five sites in and around Cambridge, all within 300 meters of honeybee hives. They focused on bramble and ivy, two plants that offer plenty of nectar and pollen at times when other flowers are hard to find.

本段译文

这项研究由安格利亚鲁斯金大学的研究人员牵头，发表在《生态昆虫学》期刊上。两年间，研究团队在剑桥市内及周边的五个地点观察昆虫，这些地点都距离蜂箱不到300米。他们重点关注黑莓丛和常春藤，这两种植物在其他花难以找到的时候能提供充足的花蜜和花粉。

The researchers divided the flower visitors into five groups: honeybees, bumblebees, solitary bees, hoverflies and others, such as butterflies, beetles and wasps. In 93 hours of watching, they recorded 300 meetings in which one insect disturbed another or stopped it from reaching a flower. Each meeting was marked as a “win”, a “loss“ or a “share”.

本段译文

研究人员把来访花朵的昆虫分为五类：蜜蜂、熊蜂、独居蜂、食蚜蝇，以及蝴蝶、甲虫和黄蜂等其他昆虫。在93小时的观察中，他们记录了300次一只昆虫干扰另一只或阻止其接近花朵的相遇。每次相遇都被记为“胜”“负”或“共享”。

Honeybees won most of these contests. Other insects avoided them in 28 percent of meetings on bramble and 36 percent on ivy. In at least one in five of their wins, honeybees pushed a rival off a flower or chased it away. Places with more honeybees also had fewer wild pollinators. On bramble, twice as many honeybees was linked to 14 percent fewer bumblebees.

本段译文

蜜蜂赢得了大多数争夺。在黑莓丛上28%的相遇中、常春藤上36%的相遇中，其他昆虫会主动避开蜜蜂。在蜜蜂获胜的情形中，至少有五分之一是把对手推下花朵或将其赶走。蜜蜂较多的地方，野生传粉昆虫也较少。在黑莓丛上，蜜蜂数量翻倍与熊蜂数量减少14%相关。

Earlier research suggested that honeybees mainly compete by using up food before others arrive. This study shows a more direct kind of competition as well. Victoria Buckle, the lead author, said bumblebees sometimes knocked other insects off flowers by accident, but honeybees seemed to do it on purpose. She thinks this may come from their social life, because some honeybees work as guards for the hive. Only one insect, the ivy bee, often fought back.

本段译文

早先的研究认为，蜜蜂主要通过抢先耗尽食物来竞争。这项研究表明，还存在一种更直接的竞争。第一作者维多利亚·巴克尔（Victoria Buckle）说，熊蜂有时会意外地把其他昆虫撞下花朵，但蜜蜂似乎是有意为之。她认为这可能源于蜜蜂的社会生活，因为有些蜜蜂负责守卫蜂巢。只有一种昆虫——常春藤蜂——经常进行反击。

Hot weather may make the problem worse. The team found more competition during warmer periods, probably because heat stress makes flowers produce less nectar. As UK summers are expected to grow hotter, such contests may become more common.

本段译文

炎热天气可能让问题更严重。研究团队发现，在较热的时期竞争更多，这可能是因为高温胁迫会使花朵分泌的花蜜减少。由于预计英国夏季会变得更热，这类争夺可能会更加常见。

Buckle said the aim of the study was not to discourage beekeeping. Many beekeepers care about nature, and she said the findings could help guide planning, especially in cities with many hives. The researchers say more work is needed to find ways for honeybees and wild pollinators to share flowers.

本段译文

巴克尔说，这项研究的目的并不是劝阻人们养蜂。许多养蜂人关心自然，她说这些发现有助于指导规划，尤其是在蜂箱众多的城市。研究人员表示，还需要更多研究，以找到让蜜蜂和野生传粉昆虫共享花朵的办法。

新闻来源

• Anglia Ruskin University · Honeybees exert flower power over other species (14 Oct 2026)
• The Guardian · Honeybees are barging aside wild pollinators in hunt for pollen and nectar, study finds (17 Oct 2026)
• ScienceDaily · Honey bees are bullying other bees, scientists discover (22 Oct 2026)

✳更多文章 →