Colony collapse disorder happens when worker bees disappear from a hive and there are not enough adult bees to maintain the colony. This is concerning as bees are essential for pollinating crops.
Adrian Fisher II, a postdoctoral fellow at Arizona State University, presented results from an interesting study conducted in the laboratory of Dr. Jon Harrison that explored the effects of fungicides on honey bee (Apis mellifera) populations. Pollinating insects like bees ingest fungicides that are applied to crops to prevent rotting. The research team discovered that application of fungicides to crops could cause colony collapse disorder.
Similarly, other researchers have found that pesticides can induce colony collapse disorder as well.
Categories: Agriculture, Aquaculture, and Livestock
Tags: American Physiological Society, Arizona, bees, colony, colony collapse disorder, honey, pollination, pollinator
Life Lines by Dr. Dolittle 