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A new study by Heather Mattila, a leading honey bee ecologist and Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at Wellesley College, published this April in PLOS ONE, reveals that inadequate access to pollen during larval development has lifelong consequences for honey bees, leading not only to smaller workers and shorter lifespans, but also to impaired performance and productivity later in life. For the first time, this study demonstrates a crucial link between poor nutrition at a young age, and foraging and waggle dancing, the two most important activities that honey bees perform as providers for their colonies and as pollinators of human crops. The study was co-authored by Hailey Scofield, Wellesley Class of 2013, a former undergraduate research assistant who will begin a Ph. D program (in Neurobiology and Behavior) at Cornell University in Fall 2015. The need to study nutritional stress in honey bees has grown pressing in recent years. In 2013, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency named nutritional stress one of the top research priorities for understanding unexplained losses of honey bee colonies, a phenomenon known in the U.S. as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). With bee pollination accounting for over $15 billion in food crops and $150 million in honey annually in the United States alone, bee losses have enormous ecological and economic consequences. If bees vanish, many plants, including vital food crops like apples, almonds, berries and cucumbers, may also be at risk. Researchers believe there may be several interrelated factors contributing to bee decline, including nutritional stress, loss of foraging habitat, pesticides, pathogens, and parasites. These concerns prompted President Obama to form a Pollinator Health Task Force in 2014, an unprecedented action that named studies of the effect of poor nutrition on bees as one of its primary goals. While a number of sophisticated nutrition studies have been undertaken recently, the Wellesley study is the first to show that nutritional deficits early in life can have far-reaching consequences for adult honey bees, including effects on complex behaviors like foraging and waggle dancing. "Nutritional stress has long been known to shorten bees' lifespan," stated Mattila, "but we've never had such a clear understanding of its impact on the tasks they perform, or known that its effects persist until their last days, even when bees have plentiful food as adults." The study is also one of the few to be conducted entirely in a natural hive environment, which allowed larvae and adults to function in normal colonies, rather than in the incubators and cages that are more typical of nutrition studies. This unique methodology allowed Mattila, Scofield, and their undergraduate research assistants to observe the bees foraging and dancing in a natural context, activities they would not be able to perform in artificial lab conditions. Foraging and waggle dancing are especially important to the health of a honey bee colony because they are the key means by which honey bees acquire food supplies like nectar and pollen, and communicate with other bees about the location of food sources and nest sites. When honey bee larvae were raised with a limited pollen supply, as might happen during periods of bad weather or as a consequence of habitat loss or commercial management practices, there were multiple negative consequences. The pollen-stressed bees were lighter and died younger, and fewer bees foraged. Those that did foraged earlier, for fewer days, and were more likely to die after just one day of foraging. Pollen-stressed workers were also less likely to waggle dance than workers that had been well-fed as larvae, and if they danced, the information they conveyed about the location of food sources was less precise. "Their dances were often visibly inconsistent and almost disoriented in the worst instances," said Scofield. Importantly, nutritional stress interacts with a number of other stress factors, like pesticides and pathogens, which are already known to decrease longevity and impair foraging ability, creating a vicious cycle of poor health and population decline. Nutritional stress is also tied in part to a loss of foraging habitat, which can compound stresses from pesticide use and other commercial practices. Poor foraging and waggle dancing, in turn, could escalate bee decline if long-term pollen limitation if it prevents stressed foragers from providing sufficiently for developing workers. "If poor foraging habitats impose nutritional stress in colonies, then our study shows that the average stressed bee cannot compensate for reduced foraging opportunities by working harder to find food. This likely exacerbates nutritional stress and further limits the colony's ability to overcome food-finding challenges in areas that are no longer suitable for bees," explained Mattila. The study also suggests that poor nutrition has the potential to undermine colony health and promote collapse. Conversely, ensuring that honey bees have access to diverse and plentiful forage throughout the year could mitigate the potential for collapse. "This means keeping bees in areas that are bee friendly, green, and full of flowering plants within the normal foraging radius of a colony, regularly checking colonies' food supplies, and providing supplements when natural forage is not available or colony stores are low," said Mattila. "Failure to provide these necessities may impose a legacy of dysfunction on colonies." Research assistance was provided by Amanda Gardner, Rachel Reed, Catherine Oleskewicz, Anita Yau, and Amina Ziad. Additional funding was provided by the Essex County Beekeepers' Association of Massachusetts.

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ヘザー カリタ ・ マッティラ、大手蜂蜜蜂生態と PLOS 1 で公開されてこの 4 月、ウェルズリー大学で生物科学専攻助教による新しい研究は、幼虫の発育中に花粉への不十分なアクセスがため生涯の結果を持っていることを明らかにミツバチ、小さい労働者と短い寿命だけでなく、impai にもつながる

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This April, for inadequate access to pollen during the growth of larvae that have lifelong consequences clearly, new research by Assistant Professor biological science at Wellesley College, Heather Mattila, giant honey bee Ecology and PLOS 1 published in bees, Less workers and short

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今年 4 月、ウェルズリー大学で助教生物科学による新しい研究の生涯の結果を明らかに、持っている幼虫の成長過程における花粉への不十分なアクセスのヘザー カリタ ・ マッティラ、巨大なミツバチの生態と PLOS 1 で公開蜂、以下の労働者と短い

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In the ecology of inadequate access to the pollen on the growth of larvae in April this year at Wellesley College have revealed the results of a new study by Professor n. Sciences of life Heather Mattila, giant bees and PLOS 1 public bee, These workers and short

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ウェルズリー大学で今年 4 月に幼虫の成長に花粉への不十分なアクセスの生態学の教授 (名) 生活ヘザー カリタ ・ マッティラ、巨大なミツバチ、PLOS 1 公共蜂、これらの労働者、短学による新しい調査の結果を明らかにしました。

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At Wellesley College in April this year to larval growth has revealed results of a new survey by inadequate access to pollen ecology Professor (name) life Heather Mattila, giant bees and bees the PLOS 1 public, these workers, short of.

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4 月のウェルズリー大学で幼虫の成長を今年はの短い花粉生態学教授 (名) 生活ヘザー カリタ ・ マッティラ、巨大な蜂や蜂 PLOS 1 公共、これらの労働者への不十分なアクセスによる新しい調査の結果を明らかにしました。

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Wellesley College in April in larval growth this year of unveiled the results of a new study due to inadequate access to the short pollen ecology Professor (name) life Heather Mattila, a giant bee and bee PLOS 1 public, these workers.

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幼虫の生育の今年の 4 月にウェルズリー大学は巨大蜂と蜂 PLOS 1 パブリック、これらの労働者の短い花粉生態学教授 (名) 生活ヘザー カリタ ・ マッティラへの不十分なアクセスのための新しい研究の結果を発表しました。

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In April of this year of the larvae of Wellesley College Announces the results of the new study because of inadequate access to the giant bees and bee PLOS 1 public and workers of these short pollen ecology Professor (name) life Heather Mattila.

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ウェルズリー大学発表の幼虫の今年の 4 月で巨大な蜂と蜂 PLOS 1 公共への不十分なアクセスのための新しい研究の結果、これらの労働者の短い花粉生態学教授 (名) 生活ヘザー カリタ ・ マッティラ。

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Short of these workers as a result of inadequate access to the giant bees and bee PLOS 1 public for new research in April of this year of Wellesley College Announces pollen ecology Professor (name) life Heather Mattila.

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巨大な蜂と蜂 PLOS 1 公共ウェルズリー大学発表花粉生態学教授 (名) 生活ヘザー カリタ ・ マッティラの今年の 4 月に新しい研究のために不十分なアクセスの結果としてこれらの足りない。

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Of those missing as a result of a giant bee and bee PLOS 1 public Wellesley College Announces pollen ecology Professor (name) lives in April of the year Heather Mattila for new research on inadequate access.

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それらの巨大な蜂と蜂 PLOS 1 公共ウェルズリー大学発表花粉生態の結果として行方不明の教授 (名) は不十分なアクセスに関する新しい研究のための年ヘザー カリタ ・ マッティラの 4 月に住んでいます。

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As a result of those giant bees and bee PLOS 1 public Wellesley College Announces pollen ecological Professor of missing (people) live in Heather Mattila April new study of inadequate access for years.

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それらの巨大な蜂と蜂 PLOS 1 公共ウェルズリー大学発表の花粉の結果として行方不明 (人) の生態学的な教授は長年の不適切なアクセスのヘザー カリタ ・ マッティラ 4 月新たな研究に住んでいます。

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As a result of those giant bees and bee PLOS 1 public Wellesley College Announces pollen ecology Professor of missing (people) many years of improper access Heather Carita-live April Mattila a new study.

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これらの巨大なミツバチとミツバチの結果としてPLOS 1公衆Wellesley Collegeは、花粉生態学を発表しました。不適切なアクセスの長年の人々（人）の不足のHeather Carita-live April Mattilaの新しい研究。

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As a result of these giant honey bees and Bee Pollen ecology announced PLOS 1 public Wellesley College. New research out of Heather Carita-live April Mattila access inappropriate for many years (people).

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これらの巨大な蜂蜜の蜂と蜂の花粉の結果としては、生態学は、PLOS 1 公共ウェルズリー大学を発表しました。長年 (人) 不適切なヘザー カリタ ライブ 4 月カリタ ・ マッティラ アクセスから新しい研究。

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As a result of these giant honey bees and bee pollen, ecological science Announces PLOS 1 public Wellesley College. From inappropriate for many years (people) Heather Carita live April Carita, Mattila access new research.

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結果としてこれらの巨大な蜂蜜の蜂と蜂の花粉、生態科学発表 PLOS 1 公共ウェルズリー大学。長年 (人) ヘザー カリタ ライブ 4 月カリタ、不適切なから起動する場合、新しい研究がアクセス カリタ ・ マッティラ。

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As a result, these giant honey bees and bee pollen, ecological science Announces PLOS 1 public Wellesley College. If you start from Carita, inappropriate in many years (people) Heather Carita live April's new research access Mattila.

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として結果、これらの巨大な蜂蜜の蜂と蜂の花粉、生態科学発表 PLOS 1 公共ウェルズリー大学。カリタ、長年 (人) ヘザー カリタの不適切から開始する場合は、4 月の新しい研究アクセス カリタ ・ マッティラを住んでいます。

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As a result, these giant honey bees and bee pollen, ecological science Announces PLOS 1 public Wellesley College. If you start from Carita, (who) over the years Heather Carita live, new research access April Mattila.

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として結果、これらの巨大な蜂蜜の蜂と蜂の花粉、生態科学発表 PLOS 1 公共ウェルズリー大学。カリタから起動する場合 (who) 年間ヘザー カリタ ライブで、新しい研究にアクセス 4 月カリタ ・ マッティラ。

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As a result, these giant honey bees and bee pollen, ecological science Announces PLOS 1 public Wellesley College. If you start from Carita (who) over the years Heather Carita live, access to new research April Mattila.

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として結果、これらの巨大な蜂蜜の蜂と蜂の花粉、生態科学発表 PLOS 1 公共ウェルズリー大学。カリタから起動する場合 (who) 年間ヘザー カリタ ライブ、新しい研究 4 月カリタ ・ マッティラへのアクセスします。

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As a result, these giant honey bees and bee pollen, ecological science Announces PLOS 1 public Wellesley College. If you start from Carita (who) over the years Heather Carita live, new research April Mattila access.

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として結果、これらの巨大な蜂蜜の蜂と蜂の花粉、生態科学発表 PLOS 1 公共ウェルズリー大学。カリタから起動する場合 (who) 年間ヘザー カリタ ライブ、新しい研究 4 月カリタ ・ マッティラ アクセス。

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As a result, these giant honey bees and bee pollen, ecological science Announces PLOS 1 public Wellesley College. If you start from Carita (who) over the years Heather Carita live, new research April Carita, Mattila access.

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として結果、これらの巨大な蜂蜜の蜂と蜂の花粉、生態科学発表 PLOS 1 公共ウェルズリー大学。カリタから起動する場合 (who) 年間ヘザー カリタ ライブで、新しい研究の 4 月カリタ、カリタ ・ マッティラ アクセス。

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As a result, these giant honey bees and bee pollen, ecological science Announces PLOS 1 public Wellesley College. If you start from Carita (who) over the years Heather Carita live, in new research April Carita, Carita Mattila access.

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として結果、これらの巨大な蜂蜜の蜂と蜂の花粉、生態科学発表 PLOS 1 公共ウェルズリー大学。(Who) ヘザー カリタの年間住んでいる、新しい研究では 4 月のカリタ カリタから起動すると、カリタ カリタ ・ マッティラがアクセスします。

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As a result, these giant honey bees and bee pollen, ecological science Announces PLOS 1 public Wellesley College. (Who) have lived there for years Heather Carita, which starts April Carita Carita in new research and Carita Mattila access.

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として結果、これらの巨大な蜂蜜の蜂と蜂の花粉、生態科学発表 PLOS 1 公共ウェルズリー大学。(人) は年から新しい研究とカリタ カリタ ・ マッティラ アクセス 4 月カリタ カリタ ヘザー カリタそこに住んでいます。

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As a result, these giant honey bees and bee pollen, ecological science Announces PLOS 1 public Wellesley College. (People), new research and Carita Carita Mattila access from Carita Carita Heather Carita there in April.

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として結果、これらの巨大な蜂蜜の蜂と蜂の花粉、生態科学発表 PLOS 1 公共ウェルズリー大学。(人)、新たな研究とカリタ カリタ カリタ ・ マッティラ カリタ カリタ ヘザー カリタが 4 月からアクセス。