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​​​​Perils of Our Pollinators

​​Now that it is warmer out, you are likely to see more and more bees buzzing about your home or the NIH campus, enjoying the season just like us. Bees, as well as other pollinators, are incredibly important to our ecosystem, as they contribute to plant diversity, soil stability and a vast majority of the nation’s food supply. Disease outbreaks and climate effects have begun impacting bee populations in recent years, but fortunately, new research is being completed to counteract these maladies.¹

Over 200,000 species of plants rely on pollination to reproduce, though certain plants and crops do not require pollinators because they are able to produce lighter, windblown pollen.² However, plants that have heavier pollen require transfer from pollinators, such as butterflies, bats, birds, or bees.³ Bees in particular feed on pollen and nectar. As they enter a flower, excess pollen rubs against them, which is then carried and rubbed off in the next flower they enter. Recently, however, bee populations have been collapsing as the presence of diseases has increased.² Two of the current disease threats to bees are American Foulbrood (AFB) and Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) as described below:

AFB is caused by bacterial spores named Paenibacillus larvae. These spores can be passed from hive to hive through worker bees, robber bees and even beekeepers. While adult bees remain unaffected, bees in the larval and pupal stages can be infected through contaminated honey and pollen. A nurse bee can infect a bee larva by feeding it contaminated food material. Once infected, the larva will likely die and spread the spores from its remains.² A more in-depth look at this process is available here. 

There have been multiple AFB antibiotics discovered by the USDA that can help combat this disease. However, despite these development in insecticides, the AFB continues to threaten the bee populations, as Paenibacillus larvae is extremely resilient. It can withstand heat and chemicals, persist for several years on hive materials and even develop antibiotic resistance.² As research around this issue progresses over the next few years, new breakthroughs may result in solutions that we might not have thought possible before.

DWV, on the other hand, is transferred through Varroa destructor, a parasitic mite that feeds on bee fat cells. Pesticides have been used in the past in an attempt to kill these mites but with little lasting effect. Researchers at the University of Texas, supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), were able to engineer natural bee bacterium and create an effective immune response for DWV.⁴

While these advances in medicine have provided points of hope for the future, the effects of climate change continue to make that future uncertain. Due to alterations in weather patterns and shifting seasons, the synchrony between bees and plants is falling out of alignment. Bees continue to forage in late fall and early winter due to warmer temperatures, thus leading to hibernation problems and increased winter colony losses.¹ Drought and floods are also disturbing plant life near pollinators, making food sources within range more difficult for them to find. 

Direct human impact in the form of pesticides also threatens bee populations.^5​ The EPA has released updates and guidance as to what steps can be employed to avoid harming colonies with pesticides.

Ingenuity and research will help us to combat pollinator diseases in the future, and with combined efforts, we can also fight to mitigate impacts from climate change. It is up to us, our actions, our medicines, and our policies, to protect our pollinators and ensure the future of flowers and food.

​Spotlight                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

NIH Building 35 Post-Bac Gardening Group ​​In Fall of 2020, Anirban Banerjee was struck with a revelation: post-bacs at the NIH have a difficult time communicating with one another. This difficulty was intensified by the effects of the pandemic.​ Learn about the gardening group he created to give post-bacs a way to communicate! LEA​RN MORE​​​​

​​Take Action                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Get into Gardening this Summer​ ​ ​With summer in full swing, now is an excellent time to pick up a hobby that gets you outdoors. Gardening is a great hobby to consider, as it takes advantage of the season’s pleasant weather and has positive impacts on both your personal health and the environment around you.​ LEARN MORE​

NEMS Training                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
Did you know? Almost 80% of the crop plant species worldwide require animal pollination to reproduce. To learn more about pollinators and their role in the ecosystem, please visit the NEMS Training webpage to view a short (20 minute) NIH environmental awareness training video.