With the support of significant grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Montana State University's College of Agriculture is advancing research on honeybee antiviral defenses. The aim is to develop strategies that could reduce honeybee colony losses.
Michelle Flenniken, a professor in MSU's Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology and co-director of the university’s Pollinator Health Center, highlighted that annual honeybee colony losses have averaged about 38% in the U.S. over the past 15 years. Despite these losses, beekeepers have maintained approximately 2.5 million colonies by employing a method known as "splitting," where one colony is divided into two.
Flenniken pointed out that while splitting helps mitigate some loss impacts, the underlying population decline remains troubling due to factors like mite infestations, chemical exposure, and pathogens including viruses. In Montana alone, beekeepers manage over 250,000 colonies for honey production and crop pollination, making pollinator health an essential area of research.
Viruses affecting honeybees often cause visible symptoms; however, many infected bees do not exhibit signs despite high viral loads. The impact of asymptomatic infections on bee health remains unclear. Flenniken suggested these unnoticed infections might be more harmful than currently understood because viruses exploit their host's cellular resources for replication.
The NSF has awarded Flenniken’s team $1.4 million to study virus impacts on bee health. MSU doctoral student Naomi Kaku investigates flight performance as an indicator of bee health using flight mills created by associate professor Mark Jankauski. Kaku found that virus-infected bees fly shorter distances at reduced speeds compared to healthy bees, potentially affecting their ability to gather nectar and pollen.
Kaku also examines how heat shock responses during flight may combat viral infections: “Flight generates heat, and we know that for at least some viruses, that heat shock response can reduce infections,” she said.
Alongside this work, Flenniken's team explores supplements to enhance honeybee immune strength with support from a $680,000 USDA grant. They are testing synthetic double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and natural compounds like thyme oil and thymol to activate immune responses against viruses.
“Research in our lab is aimed at understanding how bees have evolved to fend off viruses on their own,” Flenniken stated. By comprehending this process better, they hope to devise strategies promoting bee health.
These efforts may lead to feeding supplement developments; meanwhile, Flenniken encourages planting pollinator-friendly plants and community involvement in MSU’s Pollinator Garden volunteer events each summer: “We love having groups come, learn about bees and volunteer in the garden,” she said.
Volunteer opportunities will be available through the MSU Calendar, with donations supporting student researchers welcomed.
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