Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD)affecting honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies

Dr. Jeff Pettis USDA-ARS Bee Research Lab. Beltsville, Maryland, USA

Pollinator decline, Symptoms of CCDRecent colony losses, research effort and CCD causes

http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11761.html

• National Academies of Science

• Status of Pollinators in North America

• 2007

• Pollinators are in decline

North America Pollinators

European Pollinators

• J. C. Biesmeijer, S. P. M. Roberts, M. Reemer, R. Ohlemler, M. Edwards, T. Peeters, A. P. Schaffers, S. G. Potts, R. Kleukers, C. D. Thomas, J. Settele, and W. E. Kunin

• 21 July 2006 Science 313 (5785), 351.[DOI:10.1126/science.1127863]

• Parallel declines in pollinators and insect-pollinated plants in Britain and the Netherlands www.sciencemag.org

Pesticides

Habitat destructionUrbanization

Monocultures

Managed Honey Bee Colonies in the U.S.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

719

45

1950

1955

1960

1965

1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

Colo

nies

(Mill

io

Parasitic mites introduced into U.S.

NASS data

Major Migratory Routes of Honey Bee Colonies

California almonds require1.2 million honey bee coloniesfrom January through March each year; that representsalmost half of all managedcolonies In the U.S.

Honey bee colonies neededin California almonds

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5Millions

2004 2006 2008 2010 2012

Bacteria

Parasites Other Insects

FungiNosema

Viruses

Symptoms of CCD

•Rapid loss of adult worker bees

•Few or no dead bees in colony

•Colonies dead w/ excess brood

•Small cluster w/ queen present

• Pollen and Honey stores intact

Varroa mites

Fungi

Nosema

Viruses

Primary Stress

Secondary Pathogen

Working Hypothesis

ManagementNutritionPesticides

Beetox Immune Genes Pathogens ControlCatalase Abaecin A. apis Am52C8

CEst04 Apidaecin ABPV VgMC

CYP306A1 basket Acawood Actin (E)

CYP4G11 Bgluc1 Amoeba RPS5 (E)

CYP6AS14 defensin1 Bact16S

dnc ortholog defensin2 BQCV

GSTS3 dorsal-1 CBPV

PKA-C1 Dredd chitinA

PKA-R1 Dscam DWV

rut ortholog EGFlikeA FungITS

hymenopt germSA

PGRP9710 KBV

PGRPLC710 M. Pluton

PGRPSC2505 Nosapis

PGRPSC4300 Noscer

PPOact SBV

tab Spapis

Bee Forensics Gene Set – New turbo edition

BQCV

DWV

ABPV

KBV

IAPV

Nosc

BQCV

DWV

ABPV

KBV

IAPV

Nosc

Strong Weak

Pathogen Loads and Covariance

ParasiticMites

Viruses

Nutrition

NosemaPesticides

We tend to conduct researchon single factors

Nosema

ParasiticMites

Viruses

Nutrition

NosemaPesticides

Nosema

We ignore interactions

Nutrition

ParasiticMites

Viruses

NosemaPesticides

Nosema

CCD is likely an interaction

ParasiticMites

Viruses

Nutrition

Nosema

Pesticides

Nosema

Interactions could be differentin different operations, years

or countries?

Most Frequently Detected Pesticides in Honey Bee Pollen

020406080

Fluval

inate

Coumaph

osChlo

rpyrifo

sEn

dosulfa

n 1Atraz

ineFen

propat

hrin

Endos

ulfan s

ulfate

Chlorot

haloni

l

Cyhaloth

rin (to

tal)En

dosulfa

n 2Meto

lachlo

rEsf

envale

rateMala

thion

Myclobu

tanil

Carbend

azim

Simazi

ne

Pesticides

Perc

ent F

requ

ePesticide Detections in Pollen % of samples with detections

100

Control1000

500

Survival of worker brood from 4-way comb

Concentration (mg/kg) of coumaphos

Control 100 500 1,000 % S

urvi

val (

mea

n±S

E) o

f Im

mat

ure

Wor

kers

0

20

40

60

80

100a

a b

b

b

Lifespan of worker honey bees exposed to coumaphos during development

Concentration (mg/kg) of coumaphoscontrol 100 500 1000 W

orke

r bee

life

span

(mea

n±S

EM

) in

days

0

5

10

15

20a a

bc

Fluvalinate

POLLEN

MITE CONTROL

COLONY HEALTH

Coumaphos

Fungicides

Pyrethroids

Organophosphates

Carbamates

Herbicides

PesticideInteractions?

SublethalEffects?

InteractionsWith OtherStressors?

What is happening now What is happening now this fall this fall –– winter ?winter ?

Surveyed 22 operations that manage 10% of all the colonies in the U.S., plus Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA) repeated survey from 2007

2007 AIA survey found 30% loss

The average loss in 2008 was 35% with a range of 7% to 80%

Reason for colony losses as yet undetermined

Research continues in four areasStress – Nutrition, moving colonies, management

Parasitic mites – Varroa and tracheal

Pathogens – bacteria, fungi, viruses

Pesticides – in hive mite treatments and Agricultural

25%

50%

75%

100%

Cau

ses

of C

olon

y Lo

ss

Media

CCD

Mites

25%

75%

100%

Beekeeper

Mites

Media

CCD

Mites

50%

Cau

ses

of C

olon

y Lo

ss

25%

75%

100%

Beekeeper

Mites

CCD

Media

CCD

Mites

50%

Cau

ses

of C

olon

y Lo

ss

25%

75%

100%

Beekeeper

Mites

CCD

Other

Media

CCD

Mites

Other

50%

Cau

ses

of C

olon

y Lo

ss

25%

75%

100%

Beekeeper

Mites

CCD

Media

CCD

Mites

Other

Management

50%

Cau

ses

of C

olon

y Lo

ss

25%

75%

100%

Media Beekeeper Reality?

CCD

Mites

Mites

CCD

Other

Management

CCD

Mites

Other

Management

50%

Cau

ses

of C

olon

y Lo

ss

Honey bee healthHoney bee healthcontinues to declinecontinues to decline

Crop acres continue to increase

The number of honey bee colonies remains approximately 2.5 million35% colony losses = few reserves

The ability to feed ourselves with food produced in the U.S.should be a national security issue