Bee Shortage: Why Are the Bees Dying?

Honeybees are the most important insect to the human food chain. They are the principle pollinators of hundreds of fruits, vegetables, flowers and nuts. The number of bee colonies has been declining since the 1940's, even as the crops that depend on them, such as California almond, Pennsylvania apples and Georgia peaches, have continually grown.

Large bee losses are not uncommon or unheard of. In fact, they have been reported numerous times in the last century. However, researchers have reason to believe they are dealing with something new; or at least something that is previously unidentified.

Bees are vanishing across America. More than one quarter of the 2.4 million colonies have been lost to unknown causes. According to the Apiary Inspectors of America, a national group that tracks beekeeping, that is tens of billions of bees. Some beekeepers have lost 26% of their colonies between September, 2006 and March, 2007.

Scientist first learned about the disappearing bees in November, 2006. David Hackenberg, a Pennsylvania beekeeper, told Dr. Diane Cox-Foster, an entomologist at Pennsylvania State University, that more than 50% of his bee colonies had collapsed.

The unknown cause of the disappearance that can collapse a colony in about two days is being called "colony collapse disorder". The disorder was named by Dr. Cox-Foster, who is leading a team of researchers who are trying to find answers to explain the disappearing bees. The three most likely candidates at this time are; a virus, a fungus or a pesticide.

So far the documented enemies of the bee world, like the varroa mite, do not appear to be accountable for the strangely high losses, at least not on their own.

This is not just a problem for America. Other countries are experiences the mystery of the colony collapse disorder. Countries across Europe, along with Guatemala and Brazil, are also experiencing a time crunch for answers.

According to Dr. Jeffrey Pettis, an entomologist for the United States Department of Agriculture, who is assisting Dr. Cox-Foster, "The losses around the world may or may not be linked."

Environmental Causes

Researchers are wary about some environmental substances. Chris Mullen, a professor and insect toxicologist at Pennsylvania State University, recently sent a set of samples to be tested at a federal laboratory in Raleigh, NC. The laboratory will screen for 117 chemicals. Currently, of most concern is a "systemic" chemical. These chemicals pass through a plants circulatory system and move to the new leaves or flowers, which comes in contact with the bees.

In the late 1990's, French beekeepers reported a large loss in bees. It was believed to be in correlation with one group of systemic chemical compounds, neonicotinois. One of the neonicotinois', imidacloprid, is a commonly used pesticide in America and Europe. It is used to treat corn and other seed against pests, to protect residential foundations against termites and help keep golf courses and home lawns green.

In France, imidacloprid was sold under the name, Gaucho. While the chemical was not killing the bees out-and-out, it was causing them to become disoriented and stay away from their hive, leading them to die from exposure to the cold. The beekeepers labeled the condition "mad bee disease."

Among the pesticides being tested in America, imidacloprid is the most likely suspect.

Immune Deficiency

As the current investigation enters a critical phase, researchers have begun collecting samples from several states and are doing bee autopsies and genetic analysis. The genetic analysis that has been done at Columbia University has revealed a presence of multiple micro-organisms in the bees that were found in the hives or colonies that are on the decline. This presence proposes that something is weakening the bee's immune systems. The researchers have also found a fungus in the affected bees. This particular fungus is also found in humans whose immune systems have been suppressed by Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) or cancer.

The team of scientists say that an answer to the mysterious colony collapse disorder could still be months away. But, there have been recent advance in biology and genetic sequencing that are quickening the search for answers.

Computers are helping decipher information from the bee's DNA and match pieces of genetic code with particular organisms. This is being done with the help of a project completed last year at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX. The project sequences about 11,000 genes of the honey bee, giving scientists a large jump start on identifying unknown pathogens in the bee's tissue.

Along with a team, Dr. Gene Robinson, an entomologist at the University of Illinois, is using the knowledge gained from the sequencing of the bee genome to try to discover which genes in the collapsing colonies are predominantly active. This will possibly indicate stress from exposure to a toxin or pathogen.

Diet

A lot of bee colonies have been under stress for the past few years. More beekeepers have resorted to take the bees cross country in 18-wheelers in search of pollination work. While in the trucks, these bees suffer from a bad diet of artificial supplements, much like energy drink and power bars. However, researchers have discounted the likelihood that a poor diet by itself is liable for the extensive bee losses.

Researchers have also set aside the possibility of cause of the bee shortage on the bees feeding on genetically modified crops. Bt corn, a common genetically modified crop, would display symptoms classically linked with toxins, such as blood poisoning. These symptoms have not been demonstrated in the affected bees. But, researchers suggest that feeding supplements that are produced from genetically modified crops, such as high fructose corn syrup, need to be studied.

Conclusion

Researchers are unsure of how long it will take to solve the mystery, but hope that it comes about soon. And with an answer, researchers, beekeepers and farmers hope for a solution. In October, around about the same time the beekeepers were experiencing huge bee losses, the National Academy of Sciences questioned whether American agriculture was too dependant on one pollinator, the honey bee.

With no answers and no solutions being suggested at this time, perhaps the agricultural community should begin to look for other possible pollinators for their crops.