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This Mushroom Protects Millions of Bees From a Deadly Virus

A particular type of mushroom protects millions of bees and helps them to deal with deadly virus, Nature Scientific Reports shows. This study suspects that the virus in question was provoking enormous die-offs of bees in the last few years.

Researchers at Washington State University conducted the study. They had help from the USDA and a Washington based business “Fungi Perfecti”. They found that bees that were given mycelium extract from amadou and reishi fungi saw a 79-fold reduction in deformed wing virus. Additionally, they showed a 45,000-fold reduction in the Lake Sinai virus.

The entomology professor at Washington State University, Steve Sheppard says: “Our greatest hope is that these extracts have such an impact on viruses that they may help varroa mites become an annoyance for bees, rather than causing huge devastation. We’re excited to see where this research leads us. Time is running out for bee populations and the safety and security of the world’s food supply hinges on our ability to find means to improve pollinator health. One of the major ways varroa mites hurt bees is by spreading and amplifying viruses. Mites really put stress on the bees’ immune systems, making them more susceptible to viruses that shorten worker bee lifespans”.

During the work in professor Sheppard’s lab, Paul Stamets participated as well. He is a famous mushroom researcher, co-author of the study and he owns the above-mentioned company “Fungi Perfecti”. According to professor Sheppard’s statement: “Paul previously worked on a project that demonstrated the antiviral properties of mycelial extracts on human cells. He read about viruses hurting bees and called us to explore the use of the extracts on honey bees. After two years, we demonstrated that those anti-viral properties extend to honey bees”.

The researchers are not completely sure how the extract works. They think that it either boosts the immune system, or it somehow fights with viruses. Nevertheless, the mycelium extract truly is helping.

“We aren’t sure if the mycelium is boosting the bees’ immune system or actually fighting the viruses. We’re working to figure that out, along with testing larger groups of colonies to develop best management practices and determine how much extract should be used and when to have the best impact,” Sheppard explained.

Unfortunately, it isn’t currently available in large amounts for mass distribution. Mr. Stamets says that they are working on this, trying to increase their production volume. “We are ramping up production of the extracts as rapidly as is feasible, given the hurdles we must overcome to deploy this on a wide scale,” Stamets said.