Answer to helping honey bees is in the gut

The struggling honey bee could be saved by boosting its gut bacteria. Just like humans, the insect has bugs in its intestinal tract that improve digestion and fuel health.

But their system is much simpler, relying on only a few different species – compared with up to a thousand in humans. This has enabled scientists to identify those that allow them to digest a pollen-rich diet – which could lead to bacterial treatment of bee hives, Prof Philipp Engel, of the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, told the journal PLOS Biology. Honey bees worldwide are being decimated by the spread of disease and pesticide use.