Fly Parasite Turns HoneyBees into ZomBees

Fly Parasite Turns HoneyBees into ZomBees

www.msnbc.msn.com

If deadly viruses and fungi weren't enough, honeybees in North America now must also deal with a fly parasite that causes them to leave their hive and die after wandering about in a zombie-like stupor, a new study shows.

Scientists previously found that the parasitic fly, Apocephalus borealis, infects and ultimately kills bumblebees and paper wasps, while the "decapitating fly," an insect in the same genus, implants its eggs in ants...

(visit the link for the full news article)

Ok I was laughing too at the idea of an insect with a sting behaving like Romero's Dawn of the Dead zombies.

This is scary because some mad scientist can take this parasite and empower with capabilities to infect humans to trim the world population.

At least the corn GMO food did its work to some extent

www.msnbc.msn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

As if the bees didn't have enough things going wrong for them. Love the ZomBee pun though

reply to post by LiveEquation


LOL this just reminded me of the film fly anythings possible matey.

I actually find it weird that the infected bees fly away from the hive. One would think that the parasite would instil a compulsion for the parasite to remain in the hive so the parasite could propagate

? funny as a adver on UK TV has some bees
talking about what they got with some reward points.
one got a zombee video. with a quick bit of the film scearing him!

i'm all for the Zombie apocalypse, but i don't think i'm ready for a ZomBee apocalypse

Isn't this a species of cordyceps, that is a type of fungus that makes insects do their bidding, IE, climb a tall plant, and then it releases 'branches' that erupt through various parts of the insects body to release more spores?

Wugh! Never mind! Actual parasitic creatures! Not unheard of but always still creepy!

Hmm, wonder if this is what caused the massive die off bees out in Florida. But, this die off was blamed on pesticides.

www.naturalnews.com...

Hmm, very strange. Thanks for the link.

This seems to be the original source (but I'm not spending too much time looking)

San Jose Mercury News: Deadly parasite turns Bay Area honeybees into zombie slaves

San Francisco biologists have made a macabre discovery that might help explain the mysterious crash of honeybee populations: parasites that turn bees into zombies.

Infected bees go mad, abandoning their hive in a suicidal rush toward bright lights, according to a new study by San Francisco State researchers.

"It's the flight of the living dead," said lead investigator and biology professor John Hafernik, also president of the California Academy of Sciences.

The parasite, a tiny fly, has been found in bees from three-quarters of the 31 surveyed hives in the Bay Area -- essentially, everywhere except Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.

just seen this on yahoo news...was going to post it...good find! s&f for u!

reply to post by Manhater


Thanks for that link. I read the article. From what is said, the behavior of those bees just sounds like what this study found.

Hi there,

we have this here in Portugal , saw a paper wasp with it on my door in Autumn,
it caught my attention as it was with eggs in a spider like eggnest !! , and i suddenly realised ...Wasps dont lay eggs ...so looked it up on the web and was shocked at what i read.

lets just hope the Bees dont get wiped out.

snoopyuk

reply to post by snoopyuk


Thanks for sharing that with us, nature truly is a marvel