Honey Bee Cage - Experiment Nearman UMD (IMAGE) University of Maryland Caption Despite improved standards for keeping honey bees in the lab, UMD research shows caged bees have shorter lifespans than they did 50 years ago, suggesting something other than environmental conditions could be causing higher rates of honey bee colony loss for commercial bee keepers. Credit Anthony Nearman / UMD Usage Restrictions No restrictions License Original content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.