Jumat, 08 Juni 2012

'Prime suspect' in bee colony deaths is found

'Prime suspect' in bee colony deaths is found

  • Study into impact of mite on 'fresh' territory - Hawaii - has revealed devastation it can cause in bee colonies
  • Mite carries deadly virus
  • It is 'prime suspect' in worldwide colony deaths

By Rob Waugh

PUBLISHED: 01:51 EST, 8 June 2012 | UPDATED: 04:00 EST, 8 June 2012

Bee populations have been falling rapidly in many countries, fuelled by a phenomenon known as colony collapse disorder

Bee populations have been falling rapidly in many countries, fuelled by a phenomenon known as colony collapse disorder

Parasitic mites have 'turbo-charged' the spread of a deadly virus that is killing honey bee colonies around the world.

Bee populations have been falling rapidly in many countries, fuelled by a phenomenon known as colony collapse disorder.

Many suspects have been named for bee colony collapse, including popular pesticides.

Now University of Sheffield scientists studied the impact of a parasitic mite arriving in a fresh territory - Hawaii - and concluded that it is a prime suspect, since it spreads viruses while feeding on hemolymph, or bee's ‘blood’.   

To clarify the link between mites and viruses, a team led by Stephen Martin of Britain's University of Sheffield studied the impact of Varroa in Hawaii, which the mites have only recently invaded.   

They found the arrival of Varroa increased the prevalence of a single type of virus, deformed wing virus (DWV), in honey bees from around 10% to 100%.     

At the same time the amount of DWV virus in the bees' bodies rocketed by a millionfold and there was a huge reduction in virus diversity, with a single strain of DWV crowding out others.  

‘It is that strain that is now dominant around the world and seems to be killing bees,’ Martin said in a telephone interview.

‘My money would be on this virus as being key.’   

Bloodsuckers: The presence of the Varroa mite parasite increased the prevalence of a single type of virus, deformed wing virus (DWV), in honey bees from around 10% to 100%

Bloodsuckers: The presence of the Varroa mite parasite increased the prevalence of a single type of virus, deformed wing virus (DWV), in honey bees from around 10% to 100%

Other factors - including fungi, pesticides and decreased plant diversity - are thought to play a role in colony collapse, but Ian Jones of the University of Reading said the latest findings pointed to the virus and mite combination as being the main culprit.   

‘This data provides clear evidence that, of all the suggested mechanisms of honey bee loss, virus infection brought in by mite infestation is a major player in the decline,’ he said.   

Jones, who was not involved the research, said the findings reinforced the need for beekeepers to control Varroa infestation in colonies.   

The threat to bee populations extends across much of Europe and the United States to Asia, South America and the Middle East, experts say.    
Bees are important pollinators of flowering plants, including many fruit and vegetable crops.
   

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Monsanto is the culprit.

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I think this article could be a bit clearer. It would have been good to inform people that actually one in three bites of food we eat depend on bees. And that Australia is the only Varroa-free continent left, and bees from there are being flown over to America in containers to save the crops there.

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So it wasn't modern farming methods after all then. How disappointing for the green lobby, they must be well gutted.

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no honey bees in my garden this year but crop spraying has been taking place locally. No mention of that as a cause but they wouldn`t would they. Chemical companies have too much to lose

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i wondered how long it would be before they came around again to the Varroa mite, Pesticide manufacturers would be financing this study would they?

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Just let nature take its coarse. Human interference has always had a negative affect on anything. He bees will build immunity to it and recover. Stop the pesticides and profit is not the bee all and end all of life.

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