Bee disease spreading via flowers
July 23, 2020
Source:
Cornell University
One in 11 flowers carries disease-causing parasites known to contribute to bee declines, according to a Cornell University study that identifies how flowers act as hubs for transmitting diseases to bees and other pollinators.
The study, published July 20 in Nature Ecology and Evolution, also found that one in eight individual bees had at least one parasite.
The study was conducted in field sites in upstate New York, where the researchers screened 2,624 flowers from 89 species and 2,672 bees from 110 species for bee parasites through an entire growing season. They used molecular data to identify five common protozoan (free-living, single-celled) and fungal parasites.
"We know very little about transmission of these diseases," said senior author Scott McArt, assistant professor of entomology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. "Our study shows that transmission can likely occur on a lot of different flowers, and the amount of disease in a community is shaped by both the floral community and the bee community."
The researchers found three main factors -- flower abundance, numbers of social bees and bee diversity -- played roles in disease transmission.
As the season progresses, the number of flowers goes up. For example, in the fall, flower-laden goldenrod dominates many New York fields. At the same time, the proportion of flowers with parasites goes down, lowering the risk that a bee will pick up a parasite when it visits a flower.
More:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200723172212.htm
