One hypothesis backed up by some newly published research documents that there are parasitic flies that are using honeybees as their host. As the Discover magazine article states...
Andrew Core from San Francisco State University has a possible answer, and a new suspect for CCD. He has shown that a parasitic fly, usually known for attacking bumblebees, also targets honeybees. The fly, Apocephalus borealis, lays up to a dozen eggs in bee workers. Its grubs eventually eat the bees from the inside-out. And the infected workers, for whatever reason, abandon their hives to die.
These parasites have been referred to as "Zombie" fly parasites because they affect the behavior of the bees. The picture below taken from both articles linked shows a larval stage emerging from neck of the honeybee.
As you comment determine what affect this could have on the ecosystems in which bees have a niche. Also comment upon whether the data actually shows a connection to these parasites and CCD, or if they are merely happening to the same organisms
If honey bees are constantly killed in the same area where they are fertilizing flowers and other vegetation, plants aregoing to start dying out in that region. That could have a chain reaction of killing out smaller animals and the animals that eat thoses animals. I think CCD and parasites can be connected. I've heard of parasites affecting peoples' daily life by causing them to do weird things they would never do. Parasites are powerful in the ways of possesion, so I believe they are conected with CCD.
ReplyDeleteIf these flies are adapting and are now being able to do this to hunny bees too, we have some problems. Hunny bees play a important role in our everyday lives. Hunny bees, help to pollinate, give us food, and help keep the ecosytem intact. It is believed that these flies are being able to adapt now though, and they are being able to get the hunny bee now instead of just the bumble bee. CCD is going to be something that really effects our lives if it gets bigger. With all the honey bees leaving the colony, no honey bees will be there to continue their daily processes. I believe this shows a connection between the parasites and the hunny bees. It has been shown that this parasite has been able to do this to several other organisms, and it may now be evolving into something that can also go after even more organisms. Similiar flies have been doing this in other places such as Central and South America. That helps to prove that those flies can be linked to the cause of CCD.
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