Category: Parasite

Bee mite arrival in Hawaii causes pathogen changes in honeybee predators.

August 28, 2020

The reddish-brown varroa mite, a parasite of honeybees and accidentally introduced in the Big Island of Hawaii in 2007-08, is about the size of a pinhead. Yet, its effects there are concerning to entomologists because the mite is found nearly everywhere honeybees are present. A team led by entomologists at the University of California, Riverside, … More Bee mite arrival in Hawaii causes pathogen changes in honeybee predators.

One in 11 flowers carries disease-causing parasites known to contribute to bee declines, according to a new study that identifies how flowers act as hubs for transmitting diseases to bees and other pollinators.

July 28, 2020

The study, published July 20 in Nature Ecology and Evolution, also found that one in eight individual bees had at least one parasite. The study was conducted in field sites in upstate New York, where the researchers screened 2,624 flowers from 89 species and 2,672 bees from 110 species for bee parasites through an entire … More One in 11 flowers carries disease-causing parasites known to contribute to bee declines, according to a new study that identifies how flowers act as hubs for transmitting diseases to bees and other pollinators.

Fungus provides powerful medicine in fighting honey bee viruses.

March 22, 2020

Mycelium extract reduces viruses in honey bees A mushroom extract fed to honey bees greatly reduces virus levels, according to a new paper from Washington State University scientists, the USDA and colleagues at Fungi Perfecti, a business based in Olympia, Washington. In field trials, colonies fed mycelium extract from amadou and reishi fungi showed a … More Fungus provides powerful medicine in fighting honey bee viruses.

Wild ground-nesting bees might be exposed to lethal levels of neonics in soil.

December 11, 2019

In a first-ever study investigating the risk of neonicotinoid insecticides to ground-nesting bees, University of Guelph researchers have discovered at least one species is being exposed to lethal levels of the chemicals in the soil. Examining the presence of these commonly used pesticides in soil is important given the majority of bee species in Canada … More Wild ground-nesting bees might be exposed to lethal levels of neonics in soil.

Genomes of parasitic mites harming the world’s bees.

December 5, 2019

Honey bee colony collapse has devastating consequences for the environment, the global economy, and food security worldwide. The culprits behind some of the destruction — parasitic Varroa mites — are just a couple of millimeters in size, and they infiltrate colonies and infect bees with viruses. Yet surprisingly little is known about the mite’s biology. Researchers from … More Genomes of parasitic mites harming the world’s bees.