Pandemic: quite a BUZZ word these days. We stay home, wear masks, and wash hands like crazy. But what would bees do? Hint: dance party!

For over a century, bees have faced their own pandemic, V. destructor mites. Western honey bees are not as well-equipped to deal with them as their Eastern counterparts. Eastern honey bees throw mite-cleaning shindigs and even turn to more desperate measures, but Western honey bees might need a little help from their human friends.

Written and reported by Brenna Biggs.

References:

1. 
   
2. 
   

   McAfee, A. Honey Bees Are Struggling with Their Own Pandemic. Scientific American (2020).

   
   
   
3. 
   

   Werner, R. Co-adaptation of Apis cerana Fabr. and Varroa jacobsoni Oud. Apidologie, Springer Verlag 30 (2-3), pp.97-110 (1999).

   
   
   
4. 
   

   Page, P., Lin, Z., Buawangpong, N. et al. Social apoptosis in honey bee superorganisms. Sci Rep 6, 27210 (2016).