Honey bees

It is well known that veterinarians care for many different species of animals. However, you may be surprised to know that they also are involved in the health of honey bees.  

Apis mellifera Linnaeus is the scientific name for the Western Honey Bee, commonly known as the European Honey Bee. Interestingly, honey bees are not native to the United States, yet our agricultural economy relies heavily on them. Honey bees were imported to the U.S. in the 17^th Century and have been making their mark ever since.

Aside from creating major products such as honey and beeswax, the most critical role honeybees play in our economy is pollination. Honeybees pollinate approximately one-third of all the food eaten in the United States and are the main pollinator in three quarters of the world’s crops. Commercial production of more than 90 crops in the U.S. relies on bee pollination, contributing $20 billion to the value of U.S. Crops annually. Crops that rely on honey bees include apples, cranberries, melons, almonds, pumpkins, squash, and broccoli. They are the most prolific pollinator, surpassing butterflies, moths, flies, ants, and beetles.

Since veterinarians play an important role in maintaining public health as well as ensuring safe and nutritious food, it is fitting that they are also involved in maintaining the health of honey bees. In 2017, the federal government issued the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD). This requires that farmers work with a licensed veterinarian when using a VFD medication, such as an antibiotic. Since honey bees are vulnerable to bacterial infections such as American and European foulbrood, fungal infections, viruses, varroa mites, tracheal mites, hive beetles, as well as hornets, ants, and mice, among other pests, veterinarians are necessary to oversee the proper use of antibiotics and other medications. They help identify, treat, and prevent viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections.

Honey bee education is slowly expanding in veterinary medicine. Michigan State has a bee club, Cornell University and U.C. Davis have honey bee health courses, Purdue hosts a workshop on bee medicine, and NC State hosts the Honey Bee Veterinary Consortium Conference.

Veterinarians and beekeepers are not the only ones who can contribute to keeping honey bees safe and healthy. Planting native pollinator friendly flowers such as common yarrow, purple coneflower, black-eyed Susan, and milkweed, among many others, will provide much needed pollen for bees.  Reducing or eliminating pesticides will also help keep the bee population safe. Air pollutants can also pose a problem – these can interact with scent molecules released by plants which bees need to locate food, making the bees slower and less efficient.

Honey bees are a vital part of our economy and everyone plays a role in helping to keep them healthy.

For more information on how you can contribute to keeping the bee population healthy, visit:
https://ccedutchess.org/gardening/pollinator-support
https://cals.cornell.edu/pollinator-network