Beneficial bacteria in honey bees and their function in bee colonies

The presence of 12 novel lactic acid bacteria (LAB) living in the honey stomachs of bees was recently discovered (Vásquez, et al. 2008) and adds another dimension to bee health and diet. The addition of some bacteria in bee food (e.g. bee bread) has shown to have positive effects on bees. While the role of gut bacteria of bees has been studied by numerous researchers, this discovery has us investigating the link between bee health and diet, especially now in the aftermath of colony collapse disorder (CCD). We found that LAB collected from nectar-filled stomachs from bees working citrus trees (Citrus spp.) and rosemary bushes (Rosmarinum officinalis) in Arizona (AZ) were exactly the same bacterial phylotypes as those found in the Swedish bees. New questions are being asked about importance of these LAB, their role in bee colonies, and the effect normal beekeeping practices (e.g. feeding syrup and antibitoics) have on these beneficial bacteria.