Abstract
Over the past two decades, there has been an alarming decline in the number of honey bee colonies. This phenomenon is called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Bee products play a significant role in human life and have a huge impact on agriculture, therefore bees are an economically important species. Honey has found its healing application in various sectors of human life, as well as other bee products such as royal jelly, propolis, and bee pollen. There are many putative factors of CCD, such as air pollution, GMO, viruses, or predators (such as wasps and hornets). It is, however, believed that pesticides and microorganisms play a huge role in the mass extinction of bee colonies. Insecticides are chemicals that are dangerous to both humans and the environment. They can cause enormous damage to bees’ nervous system and permanently weaken their immune system, making them vulnerable to other factors. Some of the insecticides that negatively affect bees are, for example, neonicotinoids, coumaphos, and chlorpyrifos. Microorganisms can cause various diseases in bees, weakening the health of the colony and often resulting in its extinction. Infection with microorganisms may result in the need to dispose of the entire hive to prevent the spread of pathogens to other hives. Many aspects of the impact of pesticides and microorganisms on bees are still unclear. The need to deepen knowledge in this matter is crucial, bearing in mind how important these animals are for human life.
Highlights
A semi-free-ranging species of Apis mellifera is valued all over the world for numerous honey properties and ecological importance in reproduction of plants
P. larvae are considered to be the etiological agent of American foulbrood of honey bees, a disease affecting beekeeping in many world regions [169]
Bees are an economically important species of pollinators due to their impact on agriculture around the world. Bee products such as honey, propolis, bee pollen, and royal jelly have a positive effect on human health due to their numerous properties
Summary
A semi-free-ranging species of Apis mellifera is valued all over the world for numerous honey properties and ecological importance in reproduction of plants. The article discusses the problem of microorganisms that negatively affect bee colonies’ health and contribute to the Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) This phenomenon is significant when taking into consideration the importance of bees in nature and the positive impact of bee products on human health. The authors of this article, in their previous publications, raised issues related to combating the infectious disease of honey bees, which is American foulbrood (Paenibacillus larvae), in the light of Polish legal regulations In their previous publications, the authors presented the characteristics of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as an important part of the gut community and their special beneficial activities for honey bee health. The authors discussed the idea of probiotics for honey bees as a promising tool to improve their health [4,5]
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