As a beekeeper who loses half his hives every year, I can definitely say that Colony collapse is caused by varroa mites. You can easily see them on the bees. I have tried all kinds of treatments for varroa.I don't want to argue with those who are convinced that pesticides cause colony collapse, but I am certain, for me, it is varroa.<p>I am waiting for this treatment is available. I spend a thousands of dollars a year to restock my bees.
Neonicotinoid pesticides are the likely culprit. Companies that produce them have been sinking large sums of money into studies that search for alternative explanations, and responses that don't simply consist of eliminating neonics.<p><a href="https://theintercept.com/2020/01/18/bees-insecticides-pesticides-neonicotinoids-bayer-monsanto-syngenta/" rel="nofollow">https://theintercept.com/2020/01/18/bees-insecticides-pestic...</a>
From listening to talks by Paul Stamets, it sounds like there might be a correlation between colony collapse disorder and lack of fungi / destruction of the old growth forest in a given area, a place where sensitive fungi can grow and thrive. Bees feed on mycellium/fungi, the fungi suppresses other bacteria, at least as far as I understand it. I wonder how much that's been tested by actual beekeepers.
Is this gene drives? Do inoculated bees behave differently or make a different honey? Does it only affect one species of bee? How many species are they going to test? Did they examine bees over the entire life cycle, or just adults? Does this bacteria occupy an existing niche?