Researchers are recommending fungal foot baths for bees as a nonchemical way to kill a parasitic mite that is threatening bee populations worldwide.
Scientists at the University of Warwick in England say naturally occurring fungi may help fight the varroa mite, a honeybee parasite suspected of contributing to Colony Collapse Disorder.
The disorder causes massive hive die-offs and has led to an alarming decline in bee populations worldwide in recent years. Earlier this year, a survey found that 36.1 percent of America’s commercial beehives have been lost since last year.
The varroa mite, or Varroa destructor, feeds on bees’ circulatory fluid and also weakens hives by activating and transmitting other diseases. The mites are currently kept under control with chemical pesticides, but there is concern that they are developing resistance to the chemicals.
University of Warwick scientists have identified four different types of fungi that kill the varroa, and are exploring different methods to distribute the protective fungi thoughout bee hives—testing everything from powder sprays to fungal foot baths placed at the entrances to hives.
Researchers examined 50 different strains of fungi to find those best at attacking the varroa parasite, identifying four that best matched their criteria, according to University of Warwick researcher Dave Chandler.
“We needed to find fungi that were effective killers of varroa, had a low impact on the bees, and worked in the warm and dry conditions typically found in bee hives,” Dr. Chandler told Science Daily.
University of Warwick researchers are hoping to secure funding to further examine the four fungi that were identified. They say that the application of the fungi will be difficult due to the complex environment of bee hives.
The disappearance of honeybees around the globe due to Colony Collapse Disorder has attracted widespread concern, as bees are essential to one-third of the total U.S. food supply. Over 90 crops rely on bees for pollination, without which harvests of widely consumed fruits, nuts and vegetables could fail.
Adult female mites are brown or dark brown and shaped like tiny crabs; males are yellow with light tan legs and a spherical body shape. The Featured Creatures section of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Web page has available photos of the parasite.