By Matt Underwood Scientists identify culprit behind biggest-ever U.S. honey bee die-off.
The findings, recently published in a preprint on the bioRxiv server, point a very clear finger at a devastating combination of factors: viruses spread by parasitic mites, compounded by the mites’ resistance to the only effective pesticide available. This is a serious situation, and it’s easy to see why. Honeybees are, essentially, livestock in modern agriculture. We move them all over the country to pollinate crops, and the Varroa mite is a highly effective disease vector. This means a highly efficient disease vector is now spreading rapidly among a highly social species being transported across the country. The implications are huge, both for beekeepers and the farmers who rely on their bees. This is not something we can take lightly.
The key to this collapse lies with the mites. These tiny parasites are spreading viruses amongst the bees, weakening colonies. And even worse, the mites have developed a resistance to amitraz, the sole remaining pesticide specifically designed to kill them. The mites have essentially outsmarted our defenses. It’s important to note that the virgins, drones, are also contributing to the spread, flying up to 10 miles from their colonies to mate, meaning they are transmitting the mites to local and wild hives. This means the problem isn’t contained, it’s spreading.
This situation highlights the complex interplay of factors contributing to bee decline. It makes one wonder if this has been a long-overlooked threat, or if this resistance is a relatively new and frightening development. Sadly, the political climate is a potential problem as well. There’s genuine concern that funding for scientific research could be cut, and that efforts to find solutions might be undermined. If research is being slowed, we’re really in trouble. It’s a chilling prospect, and we can only hope that solutions are found.
The question of what to do is critical. The article doesn’t specifically name the viruses involved, but that’s important information. It’s also worth remembering that natural solutions exist; water from mushrooms, for instance, has shown promise in combating mites. Unfortunately, the problems are more complex than simple solutions. Commercial beekeeping practices, the homogenization of bee populations, and the loss of biodiversity also play a role. Monopolizing honeybees and destroying biodiversity is contributing to this.
Looking beyond simple fixes, we have to understand the larger picture. We need to consider the root causes, like poor soil or water quality, or the absence of natural mite predators. Introducing a competitor or predator for the mites could be one option, while simultaneously understanding the broader ecological context is essential. It’s important to remember that human actions have significantly impacted natural systems, but that doesn’t mean we should abandon our role as stewards of the environment.
The good news is that there’s still hope. The focus shouldn’t be solely on protecting invasive European honeybees, but also on preserving the thousands of other bee species, the ones that are going extinct. What we really need now is a solution, a way to help the bees and the agriculture that they support. What’s clear is that we caused it, and now we need to fix it.
The current situation has resulted in the over-reliance on a single pesticide to combat mites. It is worth noting that there are a lot of people, even in agriculture, who have known about the risks of Varroa mites and their role in transmitting viruses for a long time.
If all the bees are dying, then we have to act. We should try to find the core issue with the mites. The problem could be the chemicals in the soil, or maybe a loss of a natural mite predator. This can involve education and methods of living/growing with and within our shared environment. There is a balance between infection and defense, and using pesticides excessively is leading to pesticide resistance. The moving of the bees is also a huge issue. The more we move them, the faster we’re spreading the mites.
The situation also requires us to look at what we can do differently. We should strive for natural methods to save the bees. Perhaps there are repellants, like citric acid, that are effective, or other simple solutions. It is also important to consider, if we can’t find a solution quickly, a large portion of our food industry is at risk. It is time to find a good solution.