Researchers from Lawson Health Research Institute and Western University are conducting field experiments to test the beneficial effects of probiotics on bee health and hive populations.
Probiotics to the rescue
As the world’s most important single species of pollinators, honey bees perform many ecosystem functions. They are critical to the global food supply.
Honey bee populations are declining at alarmingly high rates here in Ontario and around the world.
“If the bees disappear, humanity is in big trouble” states Dr. Gregor Reid, Lawson researcher and professor at Western. He is also the leading scientist for the study. “Imagine walking into the grocery store and a third of the food wasn’t there. That is what would happen.”
