Parasitized bees are self-medicating in the wild, Dartmouth-led study finds

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-09/dc-pba090115.php

Public Release: 1-Sep-2015
Parasitized bees are self-medicating in the wild, Dartmouth-led study finds
Dartmouth College

Bumblebees infected with a common intestinal parasite are drawn to flowers whose nectar and pollen have a medicinal effect, a Dartmouth-led study shows. The findings suggest that plant chemistry could help combat the decline of bee species.

The researchers previously found in lab studies that nectar containing nicotine and other natural chemicals in plants significantly reduced the number of parasites in sickened bees, but the new study shows parasitized bees already are taking advantage of natural chemicals in the wild.

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