Biotech Updates

Report on Bee Mortality and Bee Surveillance in Europe

December 18, 2009

AFSSA, the French Food Safety Agency completed a report on honey bee mortality and the ways that colony losses are monitored in Europe. The European Food Safety Authority commissioned the study and published the report. Initially, AFSSA set up a consortium of seven European bee disease research institutes in France, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

The project covers 1) a description and critical analysis of surveillance programs that measured colony loss; 2) the collection and analysis of the epidemiological data sets on colony losses; and 3) a critical review and selection of relevant literature on the possible causes and risk factors of colony losses.

The researchers found that bee colony losses in Europe and the USA are multifactorial which include beekeeping and husbandy practices, environmental factors, biological agents as well as excessive use of pesticides. The interaction of these factors create stress, weaken bees' defense system allowing pests and pathogens to kill the colony.

See the EFSA press release on the Report at http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/efsa_locale-1178620753812_1211903101339.htm and the article at  http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/efsa_locale-1178620753812_1211903101123.htm The full report is downloadable at http://www.efsa.europa.eu/cs/BlobServer/External_Rep/027e.pdf?ssbinary=true