"Wild bumblebees worldwide are in trouble, likely contracting deadly diseases from their commercialized honeybee cousins, a new study shows."
"That’s a problem even though bumblebees aren’t trucked from farm to farm like honeybees. They provide a significant chunk of the world’s pollination of flowers and food, especially greenhouse tomatoes, insect experts said. And the ailments are hurting bumblebees even more, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature.
‘‘Wild populations of bumblebees appear to be in significant decline across Europe, North America, South America and also in Asia,’’ said study author Mark Brown of the University of London. He said his study confirmed that a major source of the decline was ‘‘the spillover of parasites and pathogens and disease’’ from managed honeybee hives."
Seth Borenstein reports for the Associated Press February 19, 2014.
SEE ALSO:
"Bee Colony Collapse Viruses Spreading To Bumblebees" (Los Angeles Times)
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