John Hafernik, a scientist at San Francisco State University, was looking for something to feed a praying mantis in his lab. He found some bees outside his classroom.

“But being an absent-minded professor,” Hafernik told the San Jose Mercury News, “I left them in a vial on my desk and forgot about them.”

A week later, Hafernik came across the vial where the bees were dead. To his suprise however, the dead bees were surrounded by young, developing flies. An adult fly was feeding on the bees.

The parasitic fly is shown on a honey bee.The fly deposits its eggs in the bee's abdomen, turning it into something
like a zombie. The bee then dies. (AP Photo/Christopher Quock, San Francisco State University)

Hafernik believes the parasitic might be a contributing factor to honey bee colony collapse.  Here is why:

• The parasitic fly deposits its eggs into a bee’s abdomen.
• The bee becomes infected by the eggs and begins acting like a zombie.
• It stumbles in circles with no sense of direction, or may be unable to stand at all.
• Finally, the bee leaves its hive and dies.

“It’s the flight of the living dead,” Hafernik said. “[The bees] kept stretching [their legs] out and then falling over. It really painted a picture of something like a zombie.”

"We don't fully understand the web of interactions," Hafernik said. "The parasite could be another stressor. Or it could play a primary role in causing the disease."

Research is continuing.

1. Queen Bees "Brainwash" Workers With Chemicals 

 

USEFUL LINKS

1. National Honey Board A wonderful site with tons of useful information for honey suppliers. And be sure to check out their other site, honey.com - The Honey Expert for recipes, tips, even a section for kids that includes games and excellent honey facts.

   American Beekeeping Federation Industry news, conventions, 4-H essay contests, the Honey Queen & Princess, and other must-have information for the serious beekeeper.

   Starting A Small Beekeeping Operation This page, maintained by the UC Davis Small Farm Center, will help any prospective beekeeper get off to a good start.

   Dadant & Sons An excellent source for beekeeping supplies, this company can boast five generations of dedicated involvement in the beekeeping industry!

Let's face it.  Beekeeping is a challenge.  You use to be able to requeen about once every 3 years.  But now queens are not lasting as long with all the chemicals beekeepers use to keep their hives alive.  Its common now a days for beekeepers to requeen their hives not only anually but multiple times a year.  With the demand for queens many beekeepers are placing preorders earlier every year just to make sure they have some.  As spring gives way to summer beekeepers are still looking for queens.  

If you would like to be kept informed when we are taking preorders or when we have extra queens for sale, then be sure to join the appropriate News Group found in your account settings: Click Here. 

- Mark and Phil Hofland (Noble Apiaries LLC)