Despite tighter restrictions on antibiotics used in Canadian beekeeping, honey bee death rates are still rising.
A new study led by University of Guelph researchers, published in Nature Sustainability, is the first large-scale project to assess antibiotic usage trends and their impact on honey bee health in Canada.
The withdrawal of antibiotics, following recent regulation changes, was one of the top predictors of honey bee overwintering mortality — a result that surprised lead author Dr. Brendan Daisley.
“You’d assume the lessening of antibiotics might be associated with improved health outcomes, especially since antibiotics are so overused,” says Daisley, a postdoctoral researcher in the College of Biological Science. “But without effective alternatives, it seems the bees have developed a dependency on them.”