News Article: Zombie Bees!

This is almost too crazy to even write about but I will attempt to anyways. A new research paper has come out that talks about a study done where it appears as though a fly is targeting honey bees to lay their eggs. It appears as though these flies lay eggs in the bees' abdomen. These parasitic eggs essentially feed off the insides of the honey bee. While doing so, the bees display "zombie" behaviour by doing out of ordinary things like congregate near lights. When they die, the fly larvae emerge.

The study says that this is potentially an explanation for why the bees just disappear in CCD. Because they are zombies!

Check out the article below:

UK Telegraph: Bee Zombies

When a parasite and a virus combine...

Many news agencies from the United States are reporting that scientists are fairly confident that they may have found a major culprit in the colony collapse disorder that has been widespread in the last couple of years. They are claiming that a combination of a rare fungus (parasite) and a virus makes for a quick collapse in the colonies.

They have been screening samples for 30 000 different disease markers and the piles of data all have these combinations of a parasite and a virus. The bees can live with one of them at a time. Apparently the fungus is cause by damp conditions. This even further hits home for the importance of a screened bottom board and good ventilation on the tops of hives throughout winters!

Check out the links to see the article and video:

CBS News: Microscopic Combo Suspected in Killing Bees

CBS News: Microscopic Combo Suspected in Killing Bees VIDEO