trigger in the decline of bee populations. Experts across the board agree that studies should spotlight the combined effects of several of the factors mentioned above.
“Enter a team of researchers from the Laboratoire Microorgan-
ismes: Génome et Environnment and the Laboratoire de Toxicolo- gie Environnment in France that assessed the effect of pathogen/toxin interactions on bee health.
“The scientists chronically exposed newly emerged honeybees,
some of which were healthy and others of which were infected with N. ceranae, to low doses of insecticides. According to them, the infected bees died when they were chronically exposed to insec- ticides. Sublethal doses did not protect those bees either.
“The team points out that this combined effect on honeybee mor-
tality was seen with daily exposure to extremely low loses (over 100 times less than the LD50 (Lethal Dose 50 = a dose that causes 50 percent mortality in a population) for each insecticide). The syn- ergy is not contingent on the type of insecticide since the two ac- tive ingredients assessed in the study – fipronil and thiacloprid – are part of different groups. But experts have been unable to identi- fy the mechanism that enables this synergy.
“ In this latest study, the researchers show how the interaction be- tween Nosema disease and insecticides generates another risk for bee populations, and could be the missing link to helping us under- stand why an increasing number of bees are dying. The study also highlights how insecticide doses considered to be non-lethal have a lethal toxic potential for organisms that are infested with parasites, thus making bees a lot more vulnerable. The results show that an improvement is needed in the management and protection of the bee population, according to the researchers.”
This could have huge repercussions. Not mentioned here, but on the minds of many, is what effect on honey bees there might be from pesticides beekeepers use to treat for diseases and pests. More and more evidence is revealing that this subject is also far
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