HOPE FOR HONEYBEES
Worldwide bee populations are suffering from Colony Collapse Disorder, likely resulting from a combination of pesticide toxicity, mites and other diseases, and unnatural habitats and lifestyles. Pesticides kill the bees in large doses, but in smaller doses their effect is not as obvious. They may make the bees more susceptible to other stresses, making teasing out the culprit more difficult. Now scientists from Newcastle University in the UK say they may have a solution.
In a paper published today in the Proceedings of the Royal Society, scientists report that a new natural pesticide made from the venom of the deadly Australian Funnel Web spider and lectin from the snowdrop plant, kills many insects that are pests to farmers without harming bees. (Lectins are carbohydrate binding proteins that are common in plants and help protect them against microorganisms. They also coat seeds and help them survive digestion by birds and animals). The venom based pesticide didn’t interfere with the bees memory or learning. One problem with neonicotinoid pesticides is that they interfere with the bees ability to find food and to return to the hive.
http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/281/1787/20140619.full
http://www.ncl.ac.uk/press.office/press.release/item/could-spiders-be-the-key-to-saving-our-bees
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