CURE FOR HONEY BEE COLONY COLLAPSE?
Science Daily
April 14, 2009
Original LinkFor the first time, scientists have isolated the parasite Nosema ceranae (Microsporidia) from professional apiaries suffering from honey bee colony depopulation syndrome. They then went on to treat the infection with complete success.
In a study published in the new journal from the Society for Applied Microbiology: Environmental Microbiology Reports, scientists from Spain analysed two apiaries and found evidence of honey bee colony depopulation syndrome (also known as colony collapse disorder in the USA). They found no evidence of any other cause of the disease (such as the Varroa destructor, IAPV or pesticides), other than infection with Nosema ceranae. The researchers then treated the infected surviving under-populated colonies with the antibiotic drug, flumagillin and demonstrated complete recovery of all infected colonies.
The loss of honey bees could have an enormous horticultural and economic impact worldwide. Honeybees are important pollinators of crops, fruit and wild flowers and are indispensable for a sustainable and profitable agriculture as well as for the maintenance of the non-agricultural ecosystem. Honeybees are attacked by numerous pathogens including viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites.
For most of these diseases, the molecular pathogenesis is poorly understood, hampering the development of new ways to prevent and combat honeybee diseases. So, any progress made in identifying causes and subsequent treatments of honey bee colony collapse is invaluable. There have been other hypothesis for colony collapse in Europe and the USA, but never has this bug been identified as the primary cause in professional apiaries.
“Now that we know one strain of parasite that could be responsible, we can look for signs of infection and treat any infected colonies before the infection spreads” said Dr Higes, principle researcher.
This finding could help prevent the continual decline in honey bee population which has recently been seen in Europe and the USA.
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IMPORTANT RESOURCES:
BURT'S BEES RESOURCE PAGE:
http://tinyurl.com/32y7m6
NORTH AMERICAN POLLINATOR PROTECTION CAMPAIGN:
http://www.nappc.org/
THE WAY BACK TO BIOLOGICAL BEEKEEPING (DEE LUSBY):
http://www.beesource.com/pov/lusby/index.htm
BUSH BEES WEBSITE (ORGANIC BEE WEBSITE):
http://bushfarms.com/bees.htm
YAHOO ORGANIC BEEKEEPERS DISCUSSION LIST:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Organicbeekeepers/
WIKIPEDIA ON COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_collapse_disorder
VERY INFORMATIVE OVERVIEW OF 'COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER' (5/4/2007):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/12932
MAAREC COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER WEBSITE:
http://maarec.cas.psu.edu/ColonyCollapseDisorderInfo.html
MAP OF U.S. STATES REPORTING COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER (pdf):
http://beealert.blackfoot.net/~beealert/USshaded.pdf
GENERAL BEE ARTICLES & REPORTS:
http://www.beesource.com/news/index.htm
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES STUDY ON POLLINATORS:
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id11761
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PREVIOUS NHNE NEWS LIST ARTICLES:
BOOK: 'A SPRING WITHOUT BEES' (8/18/2008):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/14777
UK HONEYBEE DEATHS REACHING CRISIS POINT (8/17/2008):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/14773
LAST FLIGHT OF THE HONEYBEE? (6/7/2008):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/14570
VANISHING OF THE BEES (5/9/2008):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/14475
SURVEY: U.S. HONEY BEE DEATHS INCREASED OVER LAST YEAR (5/6/2008):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/14468
WHY FLOWERS HAVE LOST THEIR SCENT (4/20/2008):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/14416
CONSORTIUM TO STUDY HONEY BEE 'COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER' (4/16/2008):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/14404
DISAPPEARING BEES THREATEN ICE CREAM SELLERS (2/19/2008):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/14209
BURT'S BEES DEFENDS THE HIVE (11/6/2007):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/13732
VIRUS IMPLICATED IN COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER IN BEES (9/7/2007):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/13427
POSSIBLE COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER BREAKTHROUGH (9/2/2007):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/13407
SENATOR BOXER ON COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER (7/18/2007):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/13236
USDA ANNOUNCES COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER ACTION PLAN (7/13/2007):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/13215
HONEYBEE DIE-OFF NOW REPORTED IN 35 STATES (6/12/2007):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/13100
WHO KILLED THE HONEYBEES? (5/30/2007):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/13034
VERY INFORMATIVE OVERVIEW OF 'COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER' (5/4/2007):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/12932
HONEYBEE DIE-OFF THREATENS FOOD SUPPLY (5/3/2007):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/12930
HONEYBEE COLLAPSE MYTHS (5/2/2007):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/12924
BEES VANISH, & SCIENTISTS RACE FOR REASONS (4/25/2007):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/12895
ORGANIC & KILLER BEES SEEM RESISTANT TO 'COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER'
(4/24/2007):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/12889
HONEY BEE DIE-OFF ALARMS BEEKEEPERS, CROP GROWERS & RESEARCHERS (4/24/2007):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/12888
HONEY BEE EXPERTS GATHER TO POOL KNOWLEDGE (4/22/2007):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/12880
HONEY BEE DIE-OFF RESOURCES (4/17/2007):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/12857
ARE MOBILE PHONES WIPING OUT OUR BEES? (4/15/2007):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/12851
BEE COLONIES ACROSS U.S. CONTINUE TO DIE (4/7/2007):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/12825
ARE GM CROPS KILLING BEES? (3/23/2007):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/12754
HONEYBEES VANISH, LEAVING KEEPERS IN PERIL (2/27/2007):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/12647
U.S. BEE COLONIES DECIMATED BY MYSTERIOUS AILMENT (2/14/2007):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/12588
PARASITE DEVASTATES U.S. BEES (5/2/2005):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/9104
MAD BEE DISEASE (2/20/2001):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nhnenews/message/1181
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http://www.nhne.org/tabid/451/Default.aspx
NHNE Factory Farming (& Cruelty To Animals) News Stories:
http://tinyurl.com/hmy5k