Throughout the world, bee colonies have been devastated by a parasite called the Varroa mite. These mites – which are visible to the naked eye – leach on to bees, and have devastated honeybees since the late 1980s. The treatments for this parasite vary; however, recent studies have shown the Varroa Mite have built up a resistance to the treatments.
Rachel Mackelprang, professor of biology at California State University, Northridge, who conducts studies on microbial communities, has been working to figure out if these treatments are affecting the symbiotic bacteria in the bees’ guts, which may negatively impact their health.
Mackelprang stressed the importance of understanding the current treatment and human intervention. “Bees pollinate many of our foods crops,” she said. “They’re important pollinators of flowering plants.”
Mackelprang started her study in May 2017 and is close to uncovering data from recent experiments. She explained that this study could lead to new discoveries. “We are in the preliminary stages of this study,” she said. “There’s a never-ending list of things we can do and learn from this study.”
“I am interested in whether human interventions, and/or environmental factors impact the beneficial bacteria that colonize the bee gut,” she said. “Examples [of potential factors] include mite treatment, supplemental feeding with sugar water, changes in seasons, and increasingly dry and hot weather patterns.”
If you ever walked past the Botanic Garden or the Orange Grove to get to one of your classes you might not have noticed the beehives that Mackelprang has placed on campus. There are five hives at the heart of Mackelprang’s research. The hives on campus are made up of Italian honeybees, which are know for being docile. The hives are surrounded by fences for extra protection – posing no threat to students, faculty or staff.
Since 1879, backyard beekeeping was banned in Los Angeles. This came from incorrect research that said bees damaged fruit crops and put people in danger. The measure proved to have the opposite effect. It was not until October 2015 that this legislation changed and Mackelprang gained the freedom to pursue her study.
Eight years ago, Mackelprang would visit her father in Spokane, Wash., and help him keep his own personal bee hives. From this experience she created the idea for her study. “My dad kept bees in his backyard, and I enjoyed it,” she said. “I thought it would be interesting to combine this enjoyment and my expertise in microbiology into a research project.”
Some of the funding for this study comes from Mackelprang’s own personal funds. She harvests the bees’ honey — with help from a few biology students — and plans to sell the product in collaboration with CSUN’s Marilyn Magaram Center, an organization focused on food science, nutrition and dietetics. Mackelprang and her students’ suit up in white bee suits, veils and gloves to work and harvest the honey. “We’re harvesting the honey and bottling it,” she said. “It will enter the market soon.”
The importance of protecting bees in the ecosystem is crucial, said Mackelprang. She hopes to spread the word to members of the community that if they see a bee colony, they should not try to kill the bees.
“Call a beekeeper rather than an exterminator,” she said. “They will remove the hive and re-home the bees.”
Mackelprang noted that it’s important to support an environment that’s friendly to bees — including avoiding the use of pesticides, and planting flowers and shrubs that attract pollinators.
“Select bee-friendly plants like lavender, sage, rosemary, sunflowers, California poppy or California buckwheat,” she said. “These plants will attract honeybees and other important pollinators.”
For more information on beekeeping and the importance of pollinators please visit these resources.