Development and verification of a standardised protocol for the detection of parasite infection levels in commercially-produced bumblebee colonies
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Sussex
Department Name: Sch of Life Sciences
Abstract
Tens of thousands of commercially-produced bumblebee colonies are imported to the UK per annum for crop pollination, part of a global trade which exceeds one million colonies per annum. Pathogen spillover from these colonies poses a major threat to native bumblebees. Our NERC-funded research has shown that regulatory and commercial attempts to prevent this threat have been unsuccessful and that the imported hives carry many parasites. To address the major needs identified by the relevant regulatory authority (Natural England) and conservation organisation (Bumblebee Conservation Trust), this project will develop and validate a robust, evidence-based protocol for the disease-screening of commercially-produced bumblebee colonies, and a genetic marker to distinguish native bumblebees from imported subspecies. This will provide regulatory authorities and conservation organisations worldwide with standardised and reliable protocols which they can require as part of their licences or utilise to verify licence compliance.
Publications
Feltham H
(2015)
Experimental evidence that wildflower strips increase pollinator visits to crops.
in Ecology and evolution
Goulson D
(2015)
Mitigating the anthropogenic spread of bee parasites to protect wild pollinators
in Biological Conservation
Graystock P
(2016)
Hygienic food to reduce pathogen risk to bumblebees.
in Journal of invertebrate pathology
Graystock P
(2016)
Do managed bees drive parasite spread and emergence in wild bees?
in International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife
| Description | Tens of thousands of commercially-produced bumblebee colonies are imported to the UK p.a. for crop pollination, part of a global trade which exceeds one million colonies p.a. Pathogen spillover from these colonies poses a major threat to native bumblebees. Our previous NERC-funded research had shown that regulatory and commercial attempts to prevent this threat had been unsuccessful and that the imported hives carry many parasites. To address the major needs identified by the relevant regulatory authority (Natural England) and conservation organisation (Bumblebee Conservation Trust), this project developed and validated a robust, evidence-based protocol for the disease-screening of commercially-produced bumblebee colonies, and a genetic marker to distinguish native bumblebees from imported subspecies. This provided regulatory authorities and conservation organisations with standardised and reliable protocols that they can require as part of their licences or utilise to verify licence compliance. In addition, we developed a productive collaboration with one of the major producers of bumblebee colonies, and produced important evidence of the contamination of some of their pollen supplies with parasites which resulted in them withdrawing the affected pollen from sale. |
| Exploitation Route | Our work has already resulted in one of the major producers of bumblebee colonies modifying their practices in ways which reduce the risk of pathogen spillover, has produced protocols that regulatory authorities or conservation organisations can use to monitor the risk of pathogen spillover, and has contributed to a proposed change in policy. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| Description | Our work has resulted in one of the major producers of bumblebee colonies modifying their practices in ways which reduce the risk of pathogen spillover, has produced protocols that regulatory authorities or conservation organisations can use to monitor the risk of pathogen spillover, and has contributed to a proposed change in policy that will ban the importation of non-native bumblebees. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2014 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| Impact Types | Societal,Economic,Policy & public services |
| Description | Advice to NE on management of pathogen spillover risk from commercially produced bumblebees |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
| Description | Biobest policy |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
| Impact | Biobest is one of the major producers of bumblebee colonies for crop pollination, with colonies being produced and imported across multiple continents. We informed them of our results showing that some of the stored pollen which they used as food for their commercially produced bumblebees was heavily contaminated with bee parasites. This resulted in them destroying the affected pollen supplies identified, and irradiating all pollen used in the future. |
| Description | Consultation on banning importation of non-native bumblebees |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | Expert advice was provided to Natural England as part of a consultation on the potential banning by them of the importation of non-native bumblebees. The enacting of this policy will improve the sustainability of food production in the UK (by reducing negative impacts on native pollinator species), and will improve the regulatory environment for managing the ongoing threat to native pollinator species from commercially produced bees, thereby providing an effective (partial) solution to a societal problem. |
| Description | Industrial CASE studentship |
| Amount | £100,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/M015386/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2015 |
| End | 09/2019 |
| Description | Open CASE studentship |
| Amount | £86,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | NE/M00949/1 |
| Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2015 |
| End | 09/2019 |
| Description | Biobest |
| Organisation | Biobest |
| Country | Belgium |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Expertise and resources, and led development of collaboration |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provision of bumblebee colonies and pollen samples |
| Impact | Withdrawal by Biobest of pollen that we showed was contaminated with bee parasites. |
| Start Year | 2013 |
| Description | Natural England |
| Organisation | Natural England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Expertise and resources, and led collaboration |
| Collaborator Contribution | Access to historical and contemporary data on the use of commercially produced bumblebee colonies in the UK, class licence data, and results of disease screening. Provision of training and facilities to members of my research team, organisation of meetings, and staff time to assist with project. |
| Impact | Proposal to withdraw class licence for the use of non-native bumblebees in England |
| Start Year | 2013 |