Bees’ Gut Microbiomes Map City Health

Urban wild bees are acting as living sensors of city health, and what scientists

discovered in their guts is changing how we monitor environmental quality. Researchers found

that bee microbiomes reflect the pollution levels and biodiversity of their surroundings. Each bee carries

a microscopic map of urban conditions. The bacteria in their digestive systems respond

to air quality, green spaces, and human activity. Cities with more parks show healthier

bee populations. Areas with heavy traffic reveal stressed microbial communities. This means a single

bee can tell us more about neighborhood health than traditional monitoring. Scientists are now

using these tiny pollinators as biological indicators. They visit thousands of flowers daily,