Everyone wants to save the bees. But as populations decline every year, we may be saving them to death.

Question

Human efforts to breed more of these insects in artificial beehives and plant more flowers may seem the obvious way to stave off heavy losses.

New research shows the answer is not that clear cut, because viruses may be spilling over from commercial honeybee colonies into wild bee populations, according to a study from the University of Vermont published Wednesday in PLOS One.

Like honeybees, which are invaluable for agriculture, wild bumblebees also play a significant role in crop pollination. Though people are more familiar with honeybee die-offs — such as with colony collapse disorder — wild bumblebees have been struggling too. A handful of bumblebee species have declined by up to 96 percent in the U.S., according to the National Agricultural Library’s website.

The causes have been largely understudied, although pesticides, infectious disease and shrinking habitat due to climate change have been suspected, said Samantha Alger, an ecologist from the University of Vermont who led the new research.

Filling in one piece of the puzzle, the study revealed wild bumblebees pick up more viruses the closer they forage to managed honeybee colonies. But if bumblebees don’t venture into the commercial hives, how are they picking up viruses?

Flowers have been suspected as reservoirs for bee viruses, but no researcher had linked virus deposits on flowers to bumblebee infections in the wild until this study. And the results could have implications for how we lend our inter-species help.

Answer 1

The findings from the University of Vermont highlight a critical and complex issue in bee conservation efforts. While it is well-intentioned to boost bee populations through breeding programs and enhanced floral resources, the study suggests that these measures might inadvertently facilitate the spread of viruses from commercial honeybee colonies to wild bumblebees, potentially exacerbating the decline of these wild populations.

The research indicates that the proximity of foraging bumblebees to managed honeybee colonies correlates with an increased incidence of viral infections. This raises an important question about the methods we use to protect and conserve bee populations. It appears that the flowers, which are often seen as simply a food source for bees, may also inadvertently serve as conduits for viral transmission.

The revelation that viruses can persist on flowers and subsequently infect foraging wild bees underscores the need for a more nuanced approach to bee conservation. Rather than solely focusing on increasing the numbers of honeybees via artificial hives or planting more flowers, it may be essential to consider the health of both commercial and wild bee populations in tandem.

This study advocates for a holistic perspective on bee conservation that includes understanding the interplay between species and how human interventions can unintentionally affect wild populations. It suggests a need for stricter biosecurity measures in managing honeybee colonies and a careful evaluation of how restoration efforts might impact the health of wild bee species. Ultimately, protecting wild bumblebees and other native pollinators may require a reevaluation of current practices surrounding commercial beekeeping and greater emphasis on ecosystem-level health.