A few weeks ago, Anna King reported that bees are playing a role in what is expected to be a poor cherry harvest this year. The reason: the weather was too cold for them to pollinate. Bees are critical to the livelihood of thousands of people in Washington State and this year, we're facing cold weather AND a continuing phenomenon called colony collapse disorder.
Image taken by Esther Anderson.
The Washington State Beekeepers Association estimates overall statewide losses to the disease at between 35 percent and 50 percent in recent years. With eight of 10 of Washington’s most valuable crops – including apples – being “bee dependent,” Colony Collapse Disorder left unchecked could jeopardize the state’s agricultural economy.
WSU scientists and Pacific Northwest beekeepers are joining forces now to find causes and treat this alarming problem. They have already identified one of the causes for this collapse: Nosema ceranae, a microsporidium that attacks the bee’s ability to process food. This spring they are conducting a massive colony health survey that involves testing bees every 30 days for pests and pathogens. Read more about it here.
Pictured: Sam Hapke, a graduate in entomology at Washington State University, counts bees as part of a research project on a parasite that attacks honeybees.
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