Eye on Science, Science Blog, Michael D. Lemonick, TIME

September 6, 2007 2:00

Why Honeybees are Vanishing

Posted by Michael Lemonick | Comments (49) | Permalink | Trackbacks (0) | Email This

The mysterious phenomenon known as Bee Colony Collapse Disorder has been worrying scientists, beekeepers and growers for months now (I blogged on it last February). Without the domesticated bees that are trucked around the country to pollinate such crops as almonds, peaches, blueberries, cucumbers and squash (but not, fortunately, wheat or corn), supplies would plummet.

Theories about why huge numbers of hives have been abandoned, their inhabitants presumably dead, have included parasites and environmental toxins—but now Science magazine is weighing in with a suite of papers, based on genomic analysis, that points to a microbe called Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus. You can read about it in this special report. The authors of the papers are pretty convinced that the virus is a significant part of the problem, but probably not the only one. Parasites and pesticides almost certainly weakened the bees, allowing the virus to have maximum effect. Still, identifying the virus could be a big step toward reversing the big bee die-off.

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Reader Comments (49)

Saint Andeol:

so is this IAPV microbe only affecting bees, or could other insect species be affected, but we just haven't noticed? or maybe something about their hive centered lifestyle makes them particularly susceptable?

--good questions. Not sure of the answer, but it's likely to be a yes

Posted by Saint Andeol | September 6, 2007 4:25 PM

13enster:

This is a lot more plausible to me than the cell-phone hypothesis getting kicked around a while ago.

I suppose vaccinating bees is out of the question as there are too many bees and too few really, really small syringes.

Posted by 13enster | September 7, 2007 9:06 AM

Bad:

There's still so much we don't know about viral diseases, especially in species like bees that we haven't been studying quite as intensely as humans. The issue is really a chicken/egg thing: the sick bees seem to have the virus, but is that because the virus itself is making them sick, or because something else is allowing the virus to beat the bees immune system by weakening it?

Posted by Bad | September 7, 2007 11:03 AM

KB:

From what I've read about this topic, prior to this hypothesis, bees' immune systems are not very strong to begin with. They're highly suceptible to toxins and infection and have been used as an indicator species of general eco-system health in the past.

Posted by KB | September 7, 2007 12:59 PM

hegemon359:

[I suppose vaccinating bees is out of the question as there are too many bees and too few really, really small syringes.]

There is this attoliter syringe from PNAS 104, 2007, 10895!
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/104/29/11895

Posted by hegemon359 | September 7, 2007 5:17 PM

Saint Andeol:

i understand this is a serious problem, but i just hope we don't panic and genetically engineer some kind of super-immune bee, only to have it breed out of control and eventually interbreed with those Africanized Killer bee things, thus creating a new breed of super-immune, super-agressive bees that won't take orders from nobody.

and really, i guess i'm only half-joking. i mean, there's billions of dollars at stake here. people have had crazier ideas.

Posted by Saint Andeol | September 7, 2007 7:38 PM

J.:

I am seeing other potential pollinators like bumblebees,carpenter bees, various tiny diptera,small wasps as well as a few stray honey bees going strong after my Autumn Joy Sedum plants which blooms in late summer. I planted them to attract butterflies which also feed on them,but am glad to attract any pollinators available. Even some of these other insects are not as plentiful as in past years probably because of the prolonged drought here in the Southeast.

Posted by J. | September 7, 2007 8:38 PM

Anonymous:

OOOh, can we cross the super-bees with amphibian genes for regeneration? Then they can sting you and grow back their venom gland.

--What a great idea! I love being stung!
M.L.

Posted by Anonymous | September 11, 2007 8:23 AM

Gerry:

Here's a funny blog on this very subject: http://wherethebeesat.blogspot.com/

Posted by Gerry | September 11, 2007 9:43 PM

Brittany:

I'm going to use this for my science current even project! We are learning about ecology..whoo!

Posted by Brittany | September 16, 2007 4:47 PM

Armageddon:

Jesus came back and is taking all the bee's up to heaven. Apparently on the bad ones are left behind.

Posted by Armageddon | September 18, 2007 12:16 PM

Saint Andeol:

actually, that would be Beesus.

Posted by Saint Andeol | September 19, 2007 7:45 PM

Anonymous:

oooh,i feel this issue is kidding

Posted by Anonymous | September 25, 2007 10:14 PM

P.F. Jennings:

If the bees have been 'weakened' by this and that, and if a virus is finishing them off -- then where are they?

The reports that we are seeing described hives which are completely empty. No bees in them. No bees nearby. Gone.

The better question seems like it would be, "where have they gone?" Not "what is killing them?" Because it sounds like there is no proof that they are dead; if they have just mysteriously vanished.

Posted by P.F. Jennings | September 26, 2007 4:04 AM

Patrick Darnell:

We're so good at making hybrids, I suppose we will be introducing muscle bees who will have been schwartzeneggered into bee-ing front running survivors. Then there would probably bee development of a trilogy series: "Pollinator."

Maybe we could call on Orange County Chopper to make a tribute bike for our new breed of bees, honoring our dearly departed cross fertilizers.

Hey, where are the Sea Bees when ya' really need them?! I cannot get this bee thing out of my head.
>>pd

--Well, who can? But we tried the muscle bee once already. That's where killer bees came from
M.L.

Posted by Patrick Darnell | October 1, 2007 9:04 AM

cynical humanist:

Actually, it would be more accurate to say "BEE-Jesus".

Posted by cynical humanist | October 2, 2007 10:58 AM

C. William Briggs:

I say just BEE nice! Thats where it all "bee"gins!
CWB

Posted by C. William Briggs | October 21, 2007 12:33 PM

donnel:

I think the bees are becoming exstinct just like panda's.If we don't have bees we might not have sweet fruit.

Posted by donnel | October 29, 2007 5:39 PM

ma:

We all bee screwed. That's the long and short of it, folks. The habitat changes and so do we all...and vice versa.

Posted by ma | November 10, 2007 3:03 AM

Dave Briggs:

I saw a very high quality, in depth show about this. It seems like it is happening worldwide and in China there is a place where the people have had to take over and hand pollinate a crop, I think it was pears.
When it talked about the actual dollar value of having to do this I w2as sure hoping they get this problem fixed because it could become too expensive to eat! LOL!
Dave Briggs

Posted by Dave Briggs | November 28, 2007 11:45 AM

A Key:

Maybe they are just tired of being exploited without pay, so they have decided to buzz off.

Posted by A Key | December 17, 2007 9:13 AM

john:

Is this global warming at work?

Posted by john | December 21, 2007 5:31 PM

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