Trisiloxane Surfactants Negatively Affect Reproductive Behaviors and Enhance Viral Replication in Honey Bees

Julia D. Fine, Diana L. Cox-Foster, Kyle J. Moor, Ruiwen Chen, Arian Avalos

https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5771

Abstract

Trisiloxane surfactants are often applied in formulated adjuvant products to blooming crops, including almonds, exposing the managed honey bees (Apis mellifera) used for pollination of these crops and persisting in colony matrices, such as bee bread. Despite this, little is known regarding the effects of trisiloxane surfactants on important aspects of colony health, such as reproduction. In the present study, we use laboratory assays to examine how exposure to field-relevant concentrations of three trisiloxane surfactants found in commonly used adjuvant formulations affect queen oviposition rates, worker interactions with the queen, and worker susceptibility to endogenous viral pathogens. Trisiloxane surfactants were administered at 5 mg/kg in pollen supplement diet for 14 days. No effects on worker behavior or physiology could be detected, but our results demonstrate that hydroxy-capped trisiloxane surfactants can negatively affect queen oviposition and methyl-capped trisiloxane surfactants cause increased replication of Deformed Wing Virus in workers, suggesting that trisiloxane surfactant use while honey bees are foraging may negatively impact colony longevity and growth. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:222–233. © 2023 SETAC. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: Trisiloxane Surfactants Negatively Affect Reproductive Behaviors and Enhance Viral Replication in Honey Bees – Fine – 2024 – Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry – Wiley Online Library

Survival of NEBs inoculated with one of five treatments modeled using a Mixed Effects Cox Model. Dark lines represent mean treatment survival across replicates, while the shading surrounding the dark lines represent 95% CI. Different letters represent significant differences between treatments (coxme; α = 0.05).

A tale of two parasites: Responses of honey bees infected with Nosema ceranae and Lotmaria passim

• Courtney I. MacInnis,
• Lien T. Luong &
• Stephen F. Pernal

Scientific Reports volume 13, Article number: 22515 (2023) Cite this article

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Abstract

Nosema ceranae and Lotmaria passim are two commonly encountered digestive tract parasites of the honey bee that have been associated with colony losses in Canada, the United States, and Europe. Though honey bees can be co-infected with these parasites, we still lack basic information regarding how they impact bee health at the individual and colony level. Using locally-isolated parasite strains, we investigated the effect of single and co-infections of these parasites on individual honey bee survival, and their responsiveness to sucrose. Results showed that a single N. ceranae infection is more virulent than both single L. passim infections and co-infections. Honey bees singly infected with N. ceranae reached < 50% survival eight days earlier than those inoculated with L. passim alone, and four days earlier than those inoculated with both parasites. Honey bees infected with either one, or both, parasites had increased responsiveness to sucrose compared to uninfected bees, which could correspond to higher levels of hunger and increased energetic stress. Together, these findings suggest that N. ceranae and L. passim pose threats to bee health, and that the beekeeping industry should monitor for both parasites in an effort correlate pathogen status with changes in colony-level productivity and survival.

To read the complete research paper go to; A tale of two parasites: Responses of honey bees infected with Nosema ceranae and Lotmaria passim | Scientific Reports (nature.com)

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: A tale of two parasites: Responses of honey bees infected with Nosema ceranae and Lotmaria passim | Scientific Reports (nature.com)

• Nicole S. DesJardins,
• Jessalynn Macias,
• Daniela Soto Soto,
• Jon F. Harrison &
• Brian H. Smith

Scientific Reports volume 13, Article number: 19458 (2023) Cite this article

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Abstract

Managed honey bees have experienced high rates of colony loss recently, with pesticide exposure as a major cause. While pesticides can be lethal at high doses, lower doses can produce sublethal effects, which may substantially weaken colonies. Impaired learning performance is a behavioral sublethal effect, and is often present in bees exposed to insecticides. However, the effects of other pesticides (such as fungicides) on honey bee learning are understudied, as are the effects of pesticide formulations versus active ingredients. Here, we investigated the effects of acute exposure to the fungicide formulation Pristine (active ingredients: 25.2% boscalid, 12.8% pyraclostrobin) on honey bee olfactory learning performance in the proboscis extension reflex (PER) assay. We also exposed a subset of bees to only the active ingredients to test which formulation component(s) were driving the learning effects. We found that the formulation produced negative effects on memory, but this effect was not present in bees fed only boscalid and pyraclostrobin. This suggests that the trade secret “other ingredients” in the formulation mediated the learning effects, either through exerting their own toxic effects or by increasing the toxicities of the active ingredients. These results show that pesticide co-formulants should not be assumed inert and should instead be included when assessing pesticide risks.

To access the complete article go to; ‘Inert’ co-formulants of a fungicide mediate acute effects on honey bee learning performance | Scientific Reports (nature.com)

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: ‘Inert’ co-formulants of a fungicide mediate acute effects on honey bee learning performance | Scientific Reports (nature.com)

Bee colonies are severely weakened by varroa mite, pesticides, according to expert

Timo Kirez

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Honey bees in the Alpine republic of Switzerland could become extinct within one to two years, a researcher warned.

“All honey bee colonies in Switzerland are chronically ill,” Peter Neumann, a professor at the University of Bern’s Institute of Bee Health, said in an interview with Swiss news portal Watson.

“And if beekeepers don’t do anything about it, all colonies will be dead in one to two years,” he warned and added these bees are infected with varroa mite – an external parasitic mite that attacks and feeds on honey bees.

He added: “Likewise, there are viruses that have nothing to do directly with the mite.”

Suggesting ways to improve the situation, he called for steps to better inform beekeepers and the general public, and devise methods to protect bees.

In addition, he said, insecticides and pesticides must be abandoned. “There are frightening data on this, it almost blew my mind recently,” the bee researcher said, adding: “It made me wonder why we still have insects at all.”

He also pointed to Africa and South America where honey bees “can cope with the varroa mite without any problems.” It is about time that a solution without drugs is also found in Switzerland, Neumann added.

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: Honey bees in Switzerland can become extinct within 1 to 2 years, warns researcher (aa.com.tr)

Electroantennogram (EAG) responses of adult honey bee workers to social signals after exposure to the organosilicone adjuvant Dyne-Amic, the fungicide Tilt and the insecticide Altacor, alone or in combination: (A) brood-emitted ester pheromone (BEP), (B) β-ocimene (larval volatile pheromone), and (C) 2-heptanone (alarm pheromone). The EAG responses of bees that consumed pollen with water, representing the control group, are shown in blue. The other three groups, including the Dyne-Amic adjuvant treatment (shown in yellow), the Altacor + Tilt pesticide treatment (shown in red), and the Altacor + Tilt + Dyne-Amic adjuvant-pesticide mixture treatment (shown in orange), are referred to as treatment groups. The asterisk symbol (*) indicates a statistically significant difference in the EAG responses of each treatment group (Dyne-Amic, Altacor + Tilt, or Altacor + Tilt + Dyne-Amic) compared to the EAG responses of bees in the control group that consumed pollen with water, using the same concentration of tested stimuli. The estimated marginal mean of EAG response ± SE is listed. (NS: p > 0.05, *: p < 0.05, **: p < 0.01, ***: P < 0.01, N = 106, GEE test).

Effects of pesticide-adjuvant combinations used in almond orchards on olfactory responses to social signals in honey bees (Apis mellifera)

• Wen-Yen Wu,
• Ling-Hsiu Liao,
• Chia-Hua Lin,
• Reed M. Johnson &
• May R. Berenbaum

Scientific Reports volume 13, Article number: 15577 (2023) Cite this article

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Abstract

Exposure to agrochemical sprays containing pesticides and tank-mix adjuvants has been implicated in post-bloom mortality, particularly of brood, in honey bee colonies brought into California almond orchards for pollination. Although adjuvants are generally considered to be biologically inert, some adjuvants have exhibited toxicity and sublethal effects, including decreasing survival rates of next-generation queens. Honey bees have a highly developed olfactory system to detect and discriminate among social signals. To investigate the impact of pesticide-adjuvant combinations on honey bee signal perception, we performed electroantennography assays to assess alterations in their olfactory responsiveness to the brood ester pheromone (BEP), the volatile larval pheromone β-ocimene, and the alarm pheromone 2-heptanone. These assays aimed to uncover potential mechanisms underlying changes in social behaviors and reduced brood survival after pesticide exposure. We found that combining the adjuvant Dyne-Amic with the fungicide Tilt (propiconazole) and the insecticide Altacor (chlorantraniliprole) synergistically enhanced olfactory responses to three concentrations of BEP and as well exerted dampening and compensatory effects on responses to 2-heptanone and β-ocimene, respectively. In contrast, exposure to adjuvant alone or the combination of fungicide and insecticide had no effect on olfactory responses to BEP at most concentrations but altered responses to β-ocimene and 2-heptanone. Exposure to Dyne-Amic, Altacor, and Tilt increased BEP signal amplitude, indicating potential changes in olfactory receptor sensitivity or sensilla permeability to odorants. Given that, in a previous study, next-generation queens raised by nurses exposed to the same treated pollen experienced reduced survival, these new findings highlight the potential disruption of social signaling in honey bees and its implications for colony reproductive success.

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: Effects of pesticide-adjuvant combinations used in almond orchards on olfactory responses to social signals in honey bees (Apis mellifera) | Scientific Reports (nature.com)

by Trinity College Dublin

Credit: Science of The Total Environment (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166214

New research paints a worrying picture for the different species of bees that provide multi-million-euro pollination services in Ireland each year.

The work raises concerns about the potential wide-spread exposure to multiple chemicals from two pesticide categories (fungicides and neonicotinoid insecticides) and indicates that different bee species may be exposed differently to pesticides—meaning that assessments of pesticide risk to honey bees may not be easily extrapolated to other bees.

The scientists behind the study, from Trinity College Dublin and Dublin City University, evaluated pesticide residues in crop pollen at 12 sites in Ireland, and in pollen collected from honey bees and bumble bees from the same sites. They have just published their findings in the journal Science of the Total Environment.

Key results:

• Most pesticides detected had not been applied recently to the sampled fields—suggesting that some chemicals may persist for a long time (in the soil, which can subsequently end up in crop pollen) and/or residues may have come from plants exposed to pesticides in other places but within the foraging range of bees (in the case of bee-collected pollen)
• Crop pollen was only contaminated with fungicides; honey bee pollen was mostly contaminated with fungicides; bumble bee pollen mostly by neonicotinoid insecticides
• The highest number of compounds and most pesticide detections were in bumble bee pollen
• All five neonicotinoid insecticides assessed were found in bumble bee pollen—even though these had not been applied recently to the sampled fields

Taken in combination, these results raise significant concerns about the potential wide-spread exposure to multiple pesticides. Additionally, some previous studies have shown that when insecticides and fungicides are combined, the results may be more toxic than for each category alone.

Elena Zioga, Ph.D. Candidate in Trinity’s School of Natural Sciences, is the first author of the just-published journal article. She said, “The results of this study are concerning on several levels. Of particularly great significance is the indication that different species seem to be exposed to pesticides differently based on the variation in the types and number of different pesticides found in pollen of honey and bumble bees respectively.

“Essentially, this means that using honey bees as a reference for understanding the exposure to different pesticides cannot give a complete picture. What’s true for honey bees doesn’t seem to be true for bumble bees, and we know that both are important for the overall pollination service and for supporting healthy ecosystems.

“It is also very worrying that the five neonicotinoids we looked for appeared in bumble bee pollen and not in crop pollen. Some of these pesticides, known to be particularly toxic, had not been applied in the fields we sampled for at least three years. This shows either that they persist for a long time in the field edges, where wildflowers grow, or that bees collected neonicotinoid-contaminated pollen from beyond the sampled fields.

“Our work also showed that neonicotinoid detection increased when the presence of wild plants in bumble bee pollen increased, and that is one of many things that require further investigation.”

More information: Elena Zioga et al, Honey bees and bumble bees may be exposed to pesticides differently when foraging on agricultural areas, Science of The Total Environment (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166214

Journal information: Science of the Total Environment

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: Range of pesticides, including neonicotinoids, found in pollen of different bee species (phys.org)

From Our Changing World,
Claire Concannon,
@cconcannonsci ourchangingworld@rnz.co.nz

Photo: Phil Lester

Varroa destructor mites are bad news for honey bees.

Not only do they attack the bees by chewing on a vital organ called the fat body, but they also introduce problematic viruses to the hive – such as deformed wing virus, which does exactly what it says on the tin.

Beekeepers worldwide must treat for varroa mites several times a year just to keep their numbers in check. They mostly use pesticides, which can have damaging effects on the bees and environment. The mites are also beginning to develop resistance to pesticides, but a new treatment method may be just on the horizon.

RNA interference

This is what PhD candidates Zoe Smeele and Rose McGruddy have been researching. Under the supervision of Professor Phil Lester, they’ve been working with US biotechnology company Greenlight Biosciences to investigate how their new treatment for varroa mites works.

The treatment is based on a technique called RNA interference. An interesting bio-hack that researchers have figured out is how they turn a natural virus defence mechanism in the cell against one of the mite’s vital proteins.

Greenlight Biosciences were able to identify a working treatment that reduced mite numbers in field trials in the states but turned to the New Zealand researchers for help in uncovering exactly how it works.

Zoe Smeele (left) and Rose McGruddy (right). Photo: Claire Concannon / RNZ

Mini-hive experiments

In one of the research labs in the School of Biological Sciences at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, Zoe and Rose have been conducting mini-hive experiments. Their participants are larval stage bees taken from the hives on the roof of the building, infected with varroa mites.

The nurse bees that feed the larvae are given plastic pouches full of sugar water with the RNA interference treatment inside. What the team has discovered is that instead of killing the mites, what the treatment does is severely impact the mites’ reproduction.

But what about real beehives?

Initial field trials with New Zealand beekeepers have showed some promise, but also highlighted that there’s much to learn in terms of the dosage per bee. A next round of trials is just getting underway, and this will also include RFID tagging of bees to monitor any impacts at the individual bee level.

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: A new way to help honey bees | RNZ

ENTOMOLOGY TODAY

A study of managed bumble bees and honey bees on a blueberry farm finds that most of the pollen they collect comes from other plants, suggesting that supplementing crops with a diversity of nearby plant types makes for healthier bees. Shown here are honey bee hives near blueberry fields. (Photo by Kelsey Graham, Ph.D.)

By Andrew Porterfield

Managed bees provide a critical service to crop growers, providing pollination as the bees search for nectar and pollen for their own needs. But many crops cannot provide for all the nutritional needs of bees. In those cases, bees begin searching for alternative sources of food.

This means that beekeepers and farmers may need to find ways to provide alternate food sources for their bees—while the bees will still be attracted to crop pollen and nectar, it won’t be an exclusive relationship. But, in turn, the bees will likely be healthier. To find out how managed honey bees (Apis mellifera) and bumble bees (Bombus impatiens) seek out a balanced diet, a group of researchers from Michigan State University looked at pollination and feeding behavior of bees around blueberry crops in that state.

The team, led by Kelsey Graham, Ph.D., a research associate at Michigan State’s Entomology Department at the time of the study and now at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, determined what plants managed honey bees and bumble bees visited during high bush blueberry pollination season. They found that the most pollen collected was from plants other than blueberries, even though the blueberry bushes were the most abundant resources during the study. They also found that honey bee and bumble bee collection behavior varied a lot. Their results were published in July in Environmental Entomology.

In 2018 and 2019, the team collected pollen from bee colonies at 14 blueberry farms in Michigan. At each field, they used a 10-frame pollen trap immediately before the start of blueberry blooming (in early or mid-May) and collected samples through the end of the bloom (early to mid-June). At the same time, the researchers placed bumble bee colonies at the margin of each site, far enough away from the honey bee colonies to prevent raiding and robbing. The team used microscopes to identify the plant sources of the pollen.

Perhaps typical for them, bumble bees collected pollen from a wider range of plant species than did honey bees. Honey bees collected 21 pollen types in both 2018 and 2019. Bumble bees, however, collected 29 types in 2018 and 52 pollen types in 2019.

Surprisingly, common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica), an invasive species native to Europe and Asia, was one of the most abundant pollens collected by both types of bees. Willow (Salix spp.) was another. “Collection is likely from an invasive species in this area of Michigan, though there are some native species they could be visiting,” says Graham. “I think it surprises people to find out that blueberry pollen was not a dominant pollen collected by honey bees. While honey bees still provide pollination services for this crop through some pollen collection and nectar visits, it’s not a preferred pollen type.”

Although blueberry is a pollen-dependent crop that relies on managed and wild bees to yield fruit, blueberry pollen is not particularly nutritious for bees. Pollen provides proteins, fats, sterols, and micronutrients to support adult bee and brood health. However, the protein content of blueberry pollen is 13.9 percent, too low to sustain a healthy honey bee colony.

Therefore, bees will forage for other nutritional resources. Meanwhile, other studies have shown that a diversity of pollinators can improve pollination services for plants.

Graham and her team also studied whether landscape diversity influenced foraging behavior, but it appeared to have no effect on the diversity of pollen the bees collected. In other words, bees sought out a multitude of pollen types, even if they had to go further to find it. “This definitely suggests that honey bees and bumble bees are making foraging decisions based on floral characteristics and nutrition rather than just what they come across in the landscape,” Graham says.

The potential downside, though, to a predominantly crop landscape is that, as at least one other study has shown, the additional energy expended to collect pollen from other plants may reduce brood production.

“It’s somewhat rare that a single pollen source can fulfill all macro and micro nutritional requirements,” Graham says. “So, in landscapes where the crop is the primary plant available, supplemental plants through pollinator plantings or preserving natural habitats near farms can provide a large benefit to bees.”

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: Even on Farms, Bees Look For a Balanced Diet (entomologytoday.org)

The UK government has recently approved the use of a pesticide known as Cruiser SB, despite it being in potential violation of environmental law. The approval was granted as an emergency authorisation for use on sugar beet crops in East Anglia.

A threat to bees and the environment

Cruiser SB poses risks to honey bees, other pollinators, and freshwater aquatic life. These pollinators are crucial for maintaining the health of our environment and food systems. But the active ingredient in the pesticide, thiamethoxam, is a serious potential threat to pollinators. A report by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Expert Committee on Pesticides expressed serious concerns, pointing out that even non-lethal doses of thiamethoxam could compromise pollinators’ ability to forage and navigate, potentially leading to a “reduction in honey bee survival”.

Cruiser SB belongs to a group of pesticides called neonicotinoids, and is already banned in the EU. These chemicals can remain active in soil for years, making their way into streams and rivers. Recent studies have found more than one in ten English rivers contain them at levels unsafe for aquatic life.

Why are bees and other pollinators so vital to the environment?

• Crop pollination: Honey bees are major pollinators of many food crops, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and oilseeds. Approximately one-third of the world’s food supply is dependent on pollination, and honey bees contribute significantly to the production of a variety of crops.
• Biodiversity: Pollination is essential for the reproduction of many wild plants, contributing to the maintenance and diversity of ecosystems. Healthy ecosystems, in turn, support a wide range of plant and animal species.
• Food chain: Pollination is a critical link in the food chain. Many herbivorous animals depend on the healthy plants that result from successful pollination, sustaining, in turn, their predators.
• Seed production: Pollination is essential for the production of seeds, ensuring the next generation of plants. This is crucial for the maintenance and regeneration of plant populations.

The decline in honey bee populations is a cause for concern globally, as it could have far-reaching consequences for agriculture and ecosystems. Efforts to protect honey bees and other pollinators are essential for maintaining the health of ecosystems and ensuring food security.

What is ClientEarth doing about it?

Our lawyers have sent a warning to the UK’s environmental watchdog that the government may have breached environmental law by approving the pesticide for use.

The approval was made by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), with whom we have made requests to engage on the decision. But our concerns were not addressed – so we have escalated the matter by submitting a complaint to the Office of Environmental Protection.

Our UK Head, Kyle Lischak, said: “Contrary to the advice of a number of expert public bodies, the government has approved a pesticide that is banned in the EU because of the risks it poses to bees.

“We believe this approval breaches environmental law and has the potential to undermine the important role played by pollinators in food production and the pollination of wild plants.”

“This risk could be compounded in coming years if the government continues to grant emergency authorisations like this one, on what is, in our view, an unlawful basis.”

This is despite numerous assurances given by the government that the UK will maintain and increase standards of environmental protection.

Kyle added: “Farmers are custodians of much of our natural environment. The government must fully support them in making the switch to using environmentally sustainable methods of pest control that work with nature, instead of continuing to approve pesticides that carry risks of environmental harm.”

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: The UK government has approved a bee-threatening pesticide in a potential breach of environmental law | ClientEarth

Landline

/ By Bronwyn Herbert

Jon Lockwood had to kill his own bees, pouring petrol on 2,500 hives.(Supplied: Jon Lockwood)

Search warrants have been issued as part of the federal government’s investigation into the suspected illegal importation of live bees infected with varroa mite, as the industry works out what’s next in learning to live with the deadly pest.

Key points:

• It’s now thought the pest did not arrive via Newcastle port as originally suspected
• More than 30,000 hives have been euthanased across 286 infested premises
• A beekeeper has called for an exit strategy for those looking to leave the industry

Varroa mite was first detected in sentinel hives at the Port of Newcastle in June 2022, but authorities now know ground zero was near Williamtown further north.

The investigation, known as Operation Decker, began as a result of information passed on by the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI).

“Our information that we’ve provided was intel on the ground as well as all the epidemiology data,” said NSW DPI director-general, Scott Hansen.

More than 30,000 hives have been destroyed as part of the eradication strategy.(Supplied: Jon Lockwood)

“It didn’t come into the Newcastle port in a natural channel that we would have assumed.

“We have our virology team currently looking at viruses that the mites are carrying, and trying to get genomic sequencing of those viruses that might give us an additional piece of information.”

A federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry spokesperson said the AFP and state law enforcement agencies were assisting and as it was an ongoing investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further.

The maximum penalties for offences under the Biosecurity Act 2015 are up to 10 years imprisonment or $626,000 per offence.

Beekeeper forced to cull his own hives

Second-generation beekeeper Jon Lockwood from Goldfields Honey near Orange had 2,500 hives pollinating an almond farm near Balranald in the NSW Riverina region, when varroa was confirmed in a neighbouring orchard.

“Varroa mite wasn’t detected in our hives, but because our bees were trapped in the eradication zone they had to be euthanased,” he said.

His hives were some of the last killed under the eradication program and because of the sheer scale of his operation, he was pouring petrol on his own bees.

“Because it was such a large amount, the DPI didn’t have the manpower to come in and euthanise the hives themselves,” he said.

“The almond orchard owner needed to spray insecticides, so we had to send our own team to euthanise the bee hives.

“That’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.”

Kempsey beekeeper Derek Seam was also caught up in the Riverina incursion.

The third-generation apiarist’s bees tested negative through mandatory alcohol-wash testing, so trucked his 1,000 hives to almond orchards in the Riverina, 1,000 kilometres away.

Mr Seam spent a decade building up his hives to a commercial scale, battling fires, floods and droughts, as pollination was a chance to earn decent money.

However, within weeks of moving his hives to an orchard near Balranald, he found out varroa had been detected on a property there within 3km of his bees, which meant under the eradication order he would have to have all his hives destroyed.

Derek Seam wants to know how varroa mite came into Australia.(ABC: Paul Ree)

“I had no idea of the scale that it would have ended that way,” he said.

“It’s just devastating for our family.

“I work closely with my dad and my brother, we are all in the same area, the same situation and we are all wiped out unfortunately.”

Across the Kempsey region more than 50 properties have tested positive for the mite.

Mite on the move

The DPI, has led the response to the pest as part of the varroa mite national management group, which includes input from 16 pollination-dependent industries.

It has defended the time taken to transition from eradication to management.

The varroa mite eradication strategy was abandoned in September.

More than $101 million has been spent across the response, with NSW spending $57.5 million.

A weekly updated heat map tracks the known spread of Varroa.(Supplied: NSW DPI)

“Unfortunately as it turned out with Newcastle, we know now it arrived 12 to 18 months before it became obvious and apparent to government and the industry parties that it was there,” the DPI’s director-general, Mr Hansen, said.

“With Kempsey, it was there at least eight months before we were able to bring our response to bear.

“Those time lags really are an impediment to an effective eradication response.”

NSW is home to 45 per cent of Australia’s beekeepers, but according to Mr Hansen, there was patchy industry compliance with varroa testing.

“We had less than half of the registered beekeepers undertaking the alcohol washes in the time frame required — that’s a significant disadvantage to any eradication program,” he said.

A DPI spokesperson said in terms of compliance, 35 investigations remained open, 23 penalty notices had been enforced and five warning letters had been issued.

Beekeeper calls for exit packages

Goldfields Honey’s managing director, Mr Lockwood, said there was a lot of uncertainty across the industry, as apiarists waited for varroa to move through the landscape, all while battling low prices due to a sharp increase in imported honey.

“There’s a lot of old guys out there,” he said.

“It is going to take a good decade to learn to manage varroa and anyone that is currently not making a dollar, they won’t be viable because are going to have massive input costs.”

Industry data estimates a third of commercial beekeepers will leave the field, with a reduction of up to 60 per cent among hobbyists and semi-commercial operators.

Mr Lockwood said there was a lot at stake.

“Beekeepers need to make a decision very quickly while their beehives are healthy and not riddled with varroa,” he said.

“They need to decide whether they are in or out, and whether they can afford to keep going with varroa in their business.”

Mr Lockwood said varroa mites could breed in massive numbers, creating “mite bombs” that could then affect other beekeeping operations.

“A strategy needs to be developed for those beekeepers to exit the industry while they still have something to sell,” he said.

He is calling for financial incentives from government to help beekeepers leave the industry before it gets too difficult to manage the pest.

Beekeepers can bounce back

Experts predict varroa will spread across Australia within three years, except for Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory.

While native stingless bees will be spared, the number of feral bees is expected to be reduced by 95 per cent.

Cooper Schouten said the price paid for pollination in NZ increased by 30 to 100 per cent when varroa spread.(ABC: Cam Lang)

Southern Cross University Researcher Cooper Schouten said despite the destruction, for those who could manage the pest it could provide an opportunity.

“When we lose those feral honey bees from the environment, growers will likely need to pay for more hives to get the same pollination service,” Dr Schouten said.

“It’s going to really increase the demand for pollination services at a time when beekeepers are finding it even harder to keep their bees alive.”

A 2014 study of the economic contribution of all managed and wild honey bee pollinators, including honey and bee products, totalled $14 billion annually.

“It’s not the end of the industry, there’s lots of beekeepers out there that have viable businesses, and Australia will remain that way as well,” Dr Schouten said.

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: Beekeepers battling varroa mite count the cost of failed eradication and call for industry exit strategy – ABC News

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Dalan Animal Health, Inc. 

Newly approved vaccine provides Canadian beekeepers a preventative tool against a devastating bacterial disease

ATHENS, Ga., Oct. 16, 2023 /CNW/ — Dalan Animal Health, Inc. (“Dalan”), the pioneering biotech company specializing in insect health, today announced it has received market authorization from the Canadian Center for Veterinary Biologics (CCVB) under the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) for its revolutionary honeybee vaccine for American Foulbrood (AFB), a devastating honeybee brood disease caused by the bacterium Paenibacillus larvae.

This conditional license, which quickly follows the same approval by the United States Department of Agriculture, Center for Veterinary Biologics (USDA-CVB) for use in the U.S. market, represents a significant milestone in the company’s mission to expand the reach of this transformative and sustainable animal health solution.

“One third of all crops rely on pollination, making honeybees an invaluable part of our global food supply and the health of our ecosystems,” said Dr. Annette Kleiser, co-founder and CEO of Dalan Animal Health. “Our ability to provide the world’s first honeybee vaccine to Canadian beekeepers is an exciting step in our plans to offer our effective solutions to this cornerstone species and its beekeeping stewards.”

According to the Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists (CAPA), honeybee brood disease, including AFB, continues to be a serious disease in Canada. If an AFB outbreak occurs, hives must be burned, quarantined, and/or treated with antibiotics, which is costly and time consuming. Studies conducted across Canada and the U.S. have shown the presence of P. larvae in as much as half of all hives in some regions.

A 2020 study conducted by Agriculture and Forestry of the Government of Alberta predicted AFB to cause as much as a $18.4M direct impact loss across the industry if left untreated. Because of its highly transferable nature, AFB is an ongoing challenge for beekeepers throughout Canada and globally, and to this point, could only be addressed through antibiotic use or complete hive elimination.

Dalan Animal Health’s vaccine is designed to offer protection against AFB before it occurs, providing a safe and non-chemical prophylactic tool. The non-GMO vaccine can also be used in organic agriculture.

Canadian-born Carol Yelle-Harris, owner of Pope Canyon Queens, produces 20,000 honeybee queens a year through her operation based in Vacaville, California. Yelle-Harris ships her queens across the U.S. and throughout Canada each year to beekeepers. “Having worked with many Canadian beekeepers, I can attest that disease management is a substantial concern for them. While this vaccine won’t solve all problems faced by our industry today, it represents a significant step in the right direction, encouraging a shift in how we prevent and tackle diseases.”

The vaccine, manufactured by Diamond Animal Health, will be distributed on a limited basis to commercial beekeepers in Canada alongside importing partner ASEA Animal Health, Inc., starting in Spring 2024. Canadian beekeepers interested in safeguarding their colonies with Dalan’s vaccine must do so under Veterinarian supervision. To learn more about vaccinating your hive, or purchasing vaccinated queens from the U.S., please contact Dalan Animal Health at https://www.dalan.com/contact or by calling 1-844-483-2526.

About the vaccine
Dalan’s vaccine uses killed whole-cell Paenibacillus larvae bacteria and is administered by mixing it into queen feed consumed by worker bees. The vaccine is incorporated into the royal jelly by the worker bees, who then feed it to the queen. The queen ingests the vaccine, and fragments are deposited in her ovaries, providing immunity to the developing larvae. The non-GMO vaccine can be used in organic agriculture, and pivotal efficacy studies have shown its potential to reduce larval death associated with American Foulbrood infections caused by P. larvae.

About Dalan Animal Health, Inc
Dalan Animal Health (www.dalan.com) is dedicated to bringing the world transformative animal health solutions to support a more sustainable future. This platform vaccine technology uses transgenerational immune priming, allowing the maternal animal to pass immune modulators (e.g., antigens, anti-microbial molecules) to the next generation larvae before they hatch. Dalan plans to develop vaccines for other honeybee diseases and underserved industries, such as shrimp, mealworms, and insects used in agriculture. The company is headquartered in Athens, Georgia, at the University of Georgia’s Innovation Hub.

Media Contact:
press@dalan.com

SOURCE Dalan Animal Health, Inc.

By Sustainability Times

Honey bees are invaluable both for biodiversity and agriculture as they are excellent pollinators, yet their numbers worldwide have been dropping dramatically. The causes include climate change, habitat loss, pesticide use and diseases.

It is in this latter category of threats that entomologists from the University of Florida, the Agricultural Research Service-USDA, Louisiana State University and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have made marked progress. They have done so by prompting honey bees’ cells to produce free radicals for protecting the insects against a range of potentially deadly viruses.

In field studies researchers used a compound called pinacidil to alter potassium ion channels, a protein found in the cells of bees’ and other iving things. Altering these channels produced slightly more free radicals, they explain.

The scientists gave the drug to honey bee colonies by mixing it into sugar water and drizzling it over their honey comb at night. The bees consumed the sugar water and also fed it to their young, thereby spreading the drug throughout the colony.

The treatment protected bees from six viruses that take their toll on honey bee colonies: Israeli acute paralysis virus, deformed wing viruses A and B, black queen cell virus, and Lake Sinai viruses 1 and 2.

“This approach is especially exciting because it doesn’t just target a specific type of virus but helps with many different viruses,” stresses Daniel Swale, an associate professor in the UF/IFAS entomology and nematology department.

“Additionally, we demonstrated that our treatment works both in the lab and in colonies that each contain 80,000 bees in the field,” he adds. “This is huge because in a hive setting bees are exposed to so many different viruses and stressors, so successfully controlling viruses in that environment is very encouraging.”

While viruses are not the greatest cause of deaths among bees, they can contribute significantly, according to the experts.

“Varroa mites are the number one cause of honey bee losses, but it’s important to point out that varroa mites, aside from physically weakening bees, also transmit viruses to bees. If we can mitigate viruses in honey bee colonies, that would be a big step forward,” says Michael Simone-Finstrom, a research molecular biologist with the ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Research Lab in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

In their study the researchers also showed that pinacidil helped more bees survive in colonies infested with varroa mites.

Administering the drug to commercial honey bee hives may work only for some beekeepers as it is fairly expensive. However, this research shows the way in developing other drugs that cost less.

“One of the big take-aways from this study is that potassium ion channels can be a target for improving immune system function in honey bees and possibly other insects. We would like to find a molecule, such as a peptide, or a new technology that has the same effect as pinacidil but is more accessible to beekeepers,” Swale says.

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: Scientists Develop a Drug to Protect Honey Bees from Viruses – The Good Men Project

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The sweet stuff can help with burns, coughs, anxiety and more

By Alison Gwinn,

AARP

Photo by Daily Slowdown on Unsplash

Honey’s benefits have been touted since antiquity — and it turns out the ancient Greeks and Romans were onto something: Honey really can hit the sweet spot when it comes to our health.

Though honey — a sweet, sticky liquid made by honeybees from flower nectar — is technically a sugar, “it’s also really rich in a lot of different bioactive substances,” says Mayo Clinic registered dietitian (and hobbyist beekeeper) Joy Heimgartner. Those include a range of good-for-you minerals, probiotics, enzymes, antioxidants and other phytochemicals.

There are four common types of honey: Raw honey is defined by the National Honey Board as “honey as it exists in the beehive or as obtained by extraction, settling or straining without adding heat.” Manuka honey, produced from the flowers of manuka trees, is known for its unique antibacterial properties, attributed to a compound called methylglyoxal, says Jordan Hill, lead registered dietitian for Top Nutrition Coaching.

Organic honey is produced without the use of synthetic chemicals, pesticides or GMOs. And locally produced honey has been reported to provide relief from seasonal allergies to local pollen, though scientific evidence to support that claim is limited, says Hill.

According to Hill, honey can be substituted for sugar in recipes, but remember: It has a distinctive flavor (which varies depending on the source flowers); it’s sweeter than sugar (the general rule of thumb is to use ¾ to 1 cup of honey for every 1 cup of sugar); it’s a liquid, so you may need to cut back on other liquids or slightly increase the dry ingredients in a recipe; and it browns more quickly than sugar (so reduce the oven temperature by 25°F).

But whatever way you use honey — in a recipe or as a condiment — always keep in mind that it is a sweetener. “Honey is a supersaturated sugar solution, and we should limit added sugars of all types,” says Heimgartner. Still, “if you’re looking for a sweetener that has more to offer, honey is fantastic.” Here are six reasons why.

1. Honey doesn’t raise your blood sugar as rapidly as white sugar

“Honey is metabolized differently from white sugar and produces less of a sugar spike,” says registered dietitian and nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner, author of The Flexitarian Diet. “Research suggests that honey may enhance insulin sensitivity and may support the pancreas, the organ that produces insulin.” A 2018 review of preliminary studies points to honey’s “hypoglycemic effect” and use as a “novel antidiabetic agent that might be of potential significance for the management of diabetes and its complications.”

And a 2022 study out of the University of Toronto found that honey improves important measures of cardiometabolic health, including blood sugar, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, especially if the honey is raw and from a single source.

2. Honey can help with wound or burn therapy

“Honey has been used for wound healing for centuries, and certain types of honey, like medical-grade honey, have shown potential in wound management due to their antimicrobial properties and ability to promote healing,” says Hill, who nonetheless advises consulting health care professionals for appropriate wound care. Heimgartner, a board-certified oncology specialist, says, “There’s actually a lot of evidence that using honey during oral cancer radiation treatment helps to prevent some of the nasty side effects of mucositis,” or inflammation of the mouth.

How does it work? “Research suggests that honey prevents or controls the growth of bacteria on the wound, helps to slough off dead tissue and microorganisms, and transports oxygen and nutrients into a wound for quicker healing,” says Blatner.

Native plants and naturalistic perennials attract bees and other pollinators.

​Create Your Own Pollinator Garden

If you want to create your own pollinator garden for bees to forage in, consider these tips from Emily Erickson, postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Davis, department of evolution and ecology.

• Opt for native plants or naturalistic perennials.
• Choose plants of varying colors, shapes and bloom times so you can support a variety of pollinators throughout the season.
• Avoid double-flowered varieties (those with extra petals) or plants that look drastically different from their wild relatives.
• Avoid pesticides.
• Leave areas in your yard that can serve as nesting habitats, such patches of bare soil, brush, twigs or woody stems, where many native pollinators make their homes.
• Which plants are right for you depends on your location and climate, so ask your local nursery for advice — or simply walk through a nursery and notice which plants seem to attract pollinators.

3. Honey is rich in polyphenols, including flavonoids

Why does that matter? Because those two substances have both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, meaning they protect our bodies against oxidative stress, which can manifest as cancer, heart disease or other diseases. But Hill cautions that the polyphenols in honeys can vary significantly, depending on the type of honey and its floral source.

4. Honey can be an effective cough suppressant

A 2020 meta-analysis found that honey provides a widely available and inexpensive alternative to antibiotics in controlling cough frequency and severity, though it concluded that further studies were needed. “It is believed that honey’s thick texture and possible antioxidant and antimicrobial properties may provide relief for cough symptoms,” Hill says, but she adds the caveat that honey should never be given to infants under 1 year of age due to a risk of botulism.

5. Honey may provide antidepressant or anti-anxiety benefits.

“Research suggests that polyphenol compounds in honey such as apigenin, caffeic acid, chrysin, ellagic acid and quercetin support a healthy nervous system, which may enhance memory and support mood,” says Blatner. Though more study is needed, a 2014 review of research says that one established nootropic (or cognitive-enhancing) property of honey “is that it assists the building and development of the entire central nervous system, particularly among newborn babies and preschool-age children, which leads to the improvement of memory and growth, a reduction of anxiety, and the enhancement of intellectual performance later in life.”

6. Honey may support a healthy gut

Early research indicates that “honey has an extra-special ability to support a healthy gut microbiome because it contains both probiotics, or good bacteria, and prebiotic properties, which help good bacteria thrive,” says Blatner, though the evidence is limited. A 2022 paper funded by the National Institute of Health, Malaysia, concluded that “honey bees and honey, which have the potential to be good sources of probiotics and prebiotics, need to be given greater attention and more in-depth research so they can be taken to the next level.”

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2023/honey-health-benefits.html

Reuters

Bee hives at a farm on Kangaroo Island, Australia January 20, 2020. Picture taken January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Tracey Nearmy/File Photo

CANBERRA (Reuters) – The Australian government said it will stop trying to eradicate the Varroa mite, a parasite that kills honey bees, and will instead try to manage its spread, which is likely to make pollination of crops such as almonds more costly.

The decision ends an A$132 million ($85.3 million)eradication plan that has destroyed more than 14,000 hives in southeastern Australia since the mite was discovered there in June 2022.

The federal government said the decision was taken on Tuesday by the National Management Group (NMG), which is driving the Varroa programme nationwide.

In a statement on Wednesday, the New South Wales government, speaking on behalf of the NMG, said non-compliant and illegal movement of hives had spread the parasite further and made it impossible to contain.

Commercial crops including almonds, apples and avocados are dependent on pollination by European honey bees, with huge numbers of hives moved during spring flowering to bring bees to plants.

The Australian government has said a widespread mite infestation could destroy most wild European honey bee nests and managed hives not adapted to Varroa, reducing pollination and causing losses of over A$70 million a year.

“The recent spike in new detections have made it clear that the Varroa mite infestation is more widespread and has also been present for longer than first thought,” the New South Wales government said in a statement.

“The potential to eradicate is no longer possible… We now need to work collaboratively to manage and minimise the impact of Varroa.”

Varroa is a reddish-brown mite around 1 mm in diameter that attaches itself to European and Asian honey bees and feeds on them, weakening them and killing colonies.

The mite also carries viruses and has caused the collapse of honey bee populations around the world.

Varroa does not target native Australian honey bees.

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australia-abandons-efforts-eradicate-deadly-honey-bee-parasite-2023-09-20/