New research on colony collapse disorder

[lindsay s]

Interesting article and it's not sensationalist Jon.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/6...de-bee-die-off

Here's the full article
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%...l.pone.0029639

[Rosie]

I read that the other day when it was mentioned on BEE-L. To me it's further evidence that we should not be importing any stocks of whatever race. There are still pathogens out there that we don't know about so screening for small hive beetle and limiting imports to countries that control their AFB isn't enough. I doubt if the NBU screen for imported queen attendants for Phorid flies.

Rosie

[Jimbo]

I think this Phorid fly like sunnier climes so we should be OK, unless it adapts
What does a zombie bee look like?

[Jon]

I To me it's further evidence that we should not be importing any stocks of whatever race. There are still pathogens out there that we don't know about so screening for small hive beetle and limiting imports to countries that control their AFB isn't enough. I doubt if the NBU screen for imported queen attendants for Phorid flies.

Those were my thoughts as well, plus the fact that if this turns out to be true the neonicotinoid campaigners will be devastated.
All that campaigning to get research funds diverted to the pesticide hobby-horse.

The other thing I noticed was the distribution map and the fly infestation was concentrated in California which has big implications given that most of the colonies in the US end up in California at the start of the year for the almond pollination.

[Ruary]

Copied from Bee_L list:
Quote
I thought that I would share this message with you.



Message from Joe Derisi on Media craziness: phorids and bees



It looks like the media has really run with the whole zombie-bee phorid thing. Charles and I are authors on that paper, but I want you to know that we do not agree with the statements being made in the press and by others, claiming that phorids are even remotely responsible for colony collapse.

You may hear from your stakeholders that are listening to the popular press today. The media is way over-hyping this story.

J
END QUOTE
Ruary

[gavin]

Thanks Ruary. Well, OK, the media may well be over-hyping this. However the paper did allude to CCD and readers could be forgiven for assuming that a link was implied.

[Rosie]

Despite all the false alarms and media hype (I doubt if anyone takes much notice of the press these days with regard to CCD) the research has highlighted at least 2 pathogens that I for one knew nothing about: the fluorescent virus and the phorid flies. I must admit though that, at one stage, I was starting to think there was something to the fluorescent virus theory. The mobile phones sounded like a joke from the start and it still pops up from time to time.

In recent years we have admitted varroa and nosema ceranae into the country and still to come are tropilaelaps, small hive beetle, exotic strains of the foulbroods, fluorescent virus and phorid flies. The worrying thing is that there are obviously loads more that are yet to be discovered and yet we are still importing bees when we already have every race and strain available here.

Rosie

[Stromnessbees]

Interesting article and it's not sensationalist Jon.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/6...de-bee-die-off

Here's the full article
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%...l.pone.0029639

Thanks for posting this, Lindsay, as it is actually quite an interesting story.

There are certain indications that this parasitic fly might be connected to a very similar one that has been released in recent years in North America to control fire ants biologically.
I think the verdict on its identification is still out, but it might just be a case of the parasite using bees as host instead of ants.


To link it in any way to CCD is a very simplistic media hype.
Don't you think that hordes of scientist looking for the causes of CCD would have noticed a bug that can be seen without any magnification and which drastically changes the bees' behaviour?

Scientists say the fly deposits its eggs into the bee's abdomen, causing the infected bee to exhibit zombie-like behaviour by walking around in circles with no apparent sense of direction. The bee leaves the hive at night and dies shortly thereafter.

Anybody with some basic knowledge of science should have noticed this apparent discrepancy and called their bluff.

[Stromnessbees]

Now why would the media run with such a story despite it having no legs at all and even the authors declaring that they think there's no link to CCD?


Well, finding a decapitating parasite that turns its victims into zombies is quite a good story on its own.

Linking it with CCD makes it even more sensational and very attractive to the pesticide corporations, as it diverts attention away from their own problems. And could you blame them if they'd sponsor a few extra adverts in return?

[Jon]

And could you blame them if they'd sponsor a few extra adverts in return?

Wow. Another conspiracy theory.
The press coverage of beekeeping issues is dire in this country whether it is zombie flies, cell phone masts or pesticides.
The Guardian and the Independent are particularly bad.