NEW
INFECTIOUS DISEASES AMONG BEE’S : ENVIRONMENT
NEWS:
More than 75% of food crops, fruits, and flowering plants need bees, wasps,
beetles, flies, moths, and butterflies to yield successful harvests
WHAT’S
IN THE NEWS?
Pollinators like bees, butterflies, and beetles are
essential for over 75% of food crops, but habitat loss, climate change, and
diseases threaten their survival. Focused research and conservation are crucial
to protect biodiversity and food security.
Importance
of Pollinators:
- Role: Over 75% of food crops and flowering
plants rely on insect pollinators (bees, butterflies, moths, etc.) for
reproduction and harvests.
- Threats: Declining populations due to
habitat loss, climate change, pesticides, pollution, and emerging diseases
affect global food security.
Wild
Bees and Pathogen Spillover:
- Wild bees are
often more efficient pollinators than managed honey bees (Apis
mellifera).
- Diseases like
deformed wing virus and black queen virus, transmitted via habitat
sharing, pose serious threats to wild pollinators.
- Swiss studies
reveal habitat overlaps increase wild pollinator viral loads by up to 10
times.
Pollinator
Diversity in India:
- India has
over 700 bee species, including indigenous honey bees (Asiatic, giant
rock, dwarf, and stingless bees).
- Habitat loss
forces pollinators to share space, raising the risk of disease
transmission between managed and wild species.
Case
Study: Thai Sacbrood Virus:
- The Thai
sacbrood virus outbreak in 1991-1992 wiped out 90% of Asiatic honey bee
colonies in South India.
- Recent
reemergence of the virus underscores the vulnerability of native bees.
Managed
Honey Bee Migrations:
- Migrations of
managed bees disrupt ecosystems and compete with native pollinators for
resources.
- In
Maharashtra, diseases introduced by managed bees have reduced forest honey
production.
Research
and Conservation Needs:
- Dedicated
research on emerging diseases like the Thai sacbrood virus is critical for
early detection and prevention.
- Disease
monitoring in managed colonies can reduce spillover risks, protecting wild
pollinators and biodiversity.