Zombie Bees; for real...

Parasite zombie flies and a honeybee; courtesy of SF State University.

Zombie bees are not science fiction. They are real—and real threat to already-threatened U.S. honeybee populations.

Honeybees (Apis mellifera) in California and South Dakota have been observed acting zombielike, wondering away from their hives at night and crawling around blindly in circles.

These insects have been rendered insensate by a parasitizing fly that lays eggs in the bees’ bodies. After the bee dies a lonesome death, pupae crawl out and grow to adult flies that seek new bodies to infect.

Tags: Bees, Parasitizing-Fly, Zombie

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Comment by Logos Tartaros on July 24, 2012 at 11:24am: Apocephalus borealis is related to phorid flies that hunt fire ants in South America. Phorids were recently introduced to North America in an attempt to control rising fire ant populations there...

Comment by Dark Saoirse Sapphire on July 24, 2012 at 11:39am: San Francisco State University professor of biology John Hafernik stated:

'he and the team hope to find out more about where the parasitization is taking place, and whether the "zombie bees" leave the colony of their own accord or if their disease is sensed by comrades who then push them out. Researchers plan to use tiny radio tags and video monitoring to find clues to the mystery.

Most interesting to discover, if the colony reacts with awareness to this parasite.

Thanks for sharing, will be following this most avidly.

Comment by Logos Tartaros on July 24, 2012 at 11:43am: YW. At first, I thought it was the phorid flies that were brought here to combat the fire ants; I'm glad that's not the case.

I think I have a wee bit of an affinity for bees because a large bumble bee nest was under my driveway for one summer...

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Zombie Bees; for real...

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