As threats like mites become more resistant to pesticides, California honey bees need more human intervention to save their hives.

A proposal in the California Legislature would pay for more research to save honey bees, but it could be a tough sell amid a budget deficit.

The insects can simply overheat, as lab experiments have shown, but there may also be indirect impacts on vegetation and flowers that could lead to the bees starving, he adds. Bumblebees pollinate ...