Plant Research International, Alterra, Netherlands Centre for Bee Research (NCB) and European Invertebrate Survey (EIS) jointly started research into the significance and cause of the decline of honeybees and wild pollinators.
Minister Verburg of the Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) has upon publication of the PRI report “Visie Bijenhouderij en insectenbestuiving” (Outlook Apiculture and Insect Pollination) decided to take support measures. These measures consist of setting up a research programme in which the cooperation in bee research should be integrated.
This research programme was approved at the end of 2009 and has been subdivided into five different work packages:
- Quantitative monitoring of bee mortality, beekeeping practice and environmental factors, Romee van der Zee, NCB: quantitative collection and analysis of relevant information and setting up a website for making the results of the research programme available to the beekeeping community.
- Diagnostics bee diseases, Sjef van der Steen, PRI: specific diagnosis, with the most modern methods, of bee diseases that are expected to be important on the basis of monitoring (working package 1). Further investigation of the interaction between bee diseases, environment and beekeeping practice.
- Nosema ceranae, Romee van der Zee, Sjef van der Steen: There a two work package leaders because the package covers two different studies. NCB will investigate the spreading of Nosema ceranae on the Waddeneilanden, how this process proceeds, and what this does to Nosema apis. PRI studies the effect of feeding on the development of Nosema ceranae in a bee population.
- Wild pollinators, David Klein, Alterra: Alterra and EIS are investigating which wild pollinators are important for Dutch agriculture, what is the cause of their decline, whether honeybee diseases are playing a role, and which are the best control measures. As far the last aspect is concerned it is of course important that honeybees are benefiting as well.
- Varroa destructor, Tjeerd Blacquiere, PRI: this it the running Varroa research of PRI bijen@wur and this has been included as work package in the programme to indicate that this research is complementary to the research in the other work packages and to ensure knowledge exchange.
According to the programme makers, the decision to divide the programme into five packages ensures an easy exchange of available knowledge and experience. This secures the collaboration between the various scientists.
A supervisory board (see photograph), initiated in February, will be monitoring the quality of the research. The Board includes representatives of the Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, the Netherlands Beekeepers Association (NBV) as well as scientists from Wageningen UR and the Universities of Utrecht and Leeds (UK).
This study is expected to answer the question of the how and why of the current problems in apiculture as well as providing possible solutions. The research programme will be running until 2012.