Parasite Issue - Busy Bees and Disease
//Buzzing Season//
Busy bees are in season with flowers blooming and pollen dispersing. Bees are an important part of ecosystems and of course offer sweet honey for our consumptions, carrying many benefits that society has long since benefited from. Bee keepers are very passionate about the wellbeing of bees, there are a number of predators that have damaged their population over the years. Most recently, the Asian hornet has caused issues in destroying hives and murdering bees across different regions. Aside from other predators, there are also diseases that bees can suffer from. Parasites that linger on various flowers have been shown to cause disease and contribute greatly to the decline in population of bees.
//Parasites and Bees//
Parasites are all over, they feed on hosts and are detrimental to humans and animals alike. Studies have shown that flowers frequented by bees sometimes carry various parasites including fungal, protozoan and others. Transmission is still unclear and we might compare this to our own conundrum when reviewing models around coronavirus, there are many factors that contribute to transmission and bees are just as complex. I would draw similarities with respect to COVID in that it was seen bees that are deemed to be “social” by nature. We see our own social lives transforming with social distancing being enforced to minimise transmission across the population.
//Buzzing Problems//
Bees were seen to observe a relationship where diversity played a part in the parasite spread, greater diversity meant a greater population of solitary species versus social bees. In addition to this, the growing abundance of flowers introduced additional flowers of different types, decreasing the chance of parasite presence. It’s the early steps in understanding a transmission problem, sources and cause of transmission along with demographic is important to understand. After knowing various factors a model can be created and even solutions to intervene if needed to improve the general situation. Adding flowers through strategic panting is an early forecast of how researchers feel a positive impact on parasite transmission can be made. An abundance of flowers means that the overall percentage of flowers carrying parasites will diminish, coupling this with additional pollination opportunity, it is an ideal approach to reducing parasitic presence in the bee population. Diversity of the bee population that eclipse that of social bees would also work in a similar way. It’s an interesting look at an infection problem in the busy bee.
Sources
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200723172212.htm