Honeybees And CCD: Are We Closer To An Answer

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Honeybees in North America have been dying. Researchers call the “killer” Colony Collapse Disorder. The hunt is on to find the cause of this disorder as crops lay in the balance. If the honeybee leaves the scene so do many of the nation’s crops.

The virus that could be the cause of Colony Collapse Disorder may have been discovered. After studying the DNA of honeybees in both stricken hives and healthy ones the Israeli acute paralytic virus was found in 25 out of 30 sick colonies. Scientists are trying to figure out how a virus most commonly found in Australia made it’s way to the United States where it had never shown up before. Australian honeybees were starting to be imported in 2004. Is there any coincidence that was the same year that reports came of declining hives?

It seems the case is solved. Right? Wrong. Skeptics doubt that the Australian viruses are the true cause of the sick honeybees. After all in the countries where this virus is common place the bees don’t get sick.

Another twist to the story is that the virus was indeed in the U.S. for at least two years prior to the Australian arrivals. New research shows that there have been dozens of strains of the virus in honeybees of North America.

In the lab this virus may indeed kill honeybees. The thing though is scientists don’t know how much of the virus to give to stimulate what is happening in the wild. An overdose of the virus in the lab may equal death while an actual dose in the wild has a happy buzzing bee pollinating the flowers.

Another problem is hives don’t come with maid service. Those bees are just like little kids bringing home all sorts of lovely germs and viruses. This is nothing new, it’s life. Trying to discover just which germ, which virus is killing the bees has turned into a needle haystack job.

So do researchers know the cause of CCD? The verdict won’t be in until the spring when the honeybees return. We hope.

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