Monday, April 27, 2015

Bumblebees use nicotine to fight off parasites

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-04/qmuo-bun042715.php

Public Release: 27-Apr-2015
Queen Mary, University of London

Researchers from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), gave bumblebees the option to choose between a sugar solution with nicotine in it and one without. Those bees infected with the Crithidia bombi parasite were more likely to go for the nicotine-laced nectar than those that weren't infected.

Infected bumblebees that consumed nicotine delayed the progress of the infection for a few days, showing lower levels of parasites than those that had not. However, it did not increase the life expectancy of those bees, meaning that the direct benefits of nicotine for the bee colony remain to be identified.

Consuming nicotine also had negative effects, appearing to suppress the appetite of infected bees much like smoking does in humans. Healthy bees that consumed nicotine also showed shorter lifespans than those that did not consume any.

Bees are not the only species known to use nicotine to fight parasites, with house sparrows using cigarette butts in their nests to ward off mites. [Because nicotine is an insecticide.]

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