Colony Collapse Disorder among bees due to Parasitic Fly?
Could we finally have an answer for the deaths of so many of our important bees? Colony Collapse Disorder has puzzled researchers for years as bee colonies died off across the United States.
Now scientists say they have found a possible explanation for the die-off that has decimated bees around the world. A parasitic fly that hijacks the bees' bodies and causes them to abandon hives. Scientists say the fly deposits its eggs into the bee's abdomen, causing the infected bee to exhibit zombie-like behavior by walking around in circles with no apparent sense of direction. The bee leaves the hive at night and dies shortly thereafter.
The disease is of great concern, because bees pollinate about a third of the United States' food supply. Its presence is especially alarming in California, the nation's top producer of fruits and vegetables, where bees play an essential role in the $2 billion almond industry and other crops.
Interaction among the parasite and multiple pathogens could be one possible factor in colony collapse, according to the latest study by researchers at San Francisco State University. It says the phorid fly, or apocephalus borealis, was found in bees from three-quarters of the 31 hives surveyed in the San Francisco Bay area.
The combination of a parasite, pathogens and other stressors could cause die-off, lead investigator John Hafernik said. The parasitic fly serves as a reservoir that harbors pathogens honey bees from parasite-infected hives tested positive for deformed wing virus and other pathogens, the study found. "We don't fully understand the web of interactions," Hafernik said. "The parasite could be another stressor, enough to push the bee over tipping point. Or it could play a primary role in causing the disease."
Since it was recognized in 2006, colony collapse has destroyed colonies at a rate of about 30% per year, according to the USDA. Before that, losses were about 15% per year from a variety of pests and diseases.
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