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Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey

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More Bad News for Bumblebees

Bumble bee on flower pollen

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A joint Emory University and University of Washington study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B indicates that streptomycin, an antibiotic sprayed on orchard crops to combat bacterial diseases, slows the cognition of bumblebees and reduces their foraging efficiency. Laura Avila, first author of the paper and a postdoctoral fellow in the Emory Department of Biology, states, “No one has examined the potential impacts on pollinators of broadcast spraying of antibiotics in agriculture despite their widespread use.”

The researchers think that the negative impact of streptomycin on bumblebees may be due to the disruption of the insects’ microbiome. In lab experiments with managed bumblebees (Bombus impatiens) to test the effects of an upper-limit dietary exposure to streptomycin, half of the bees were fed sugar water to simulate nectar. The remaining bees were fed sucrose dosed with streptomycin. After two days on this diet, the bees fed streptomycin displayed a marked decrease in short-term memory and foraging ability. The scientists note the timing of antibiotic application, the amount applied and possible alternatives to the use of an antibiotic may be potential mitigation methods if research verifies the harmful impacts on bumblebees of agricultural spraying with streptomycin.

Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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