Stressed bees link to disorder

Stressed young bees that are forced to grow up too fast could largely account for disastrous declines in populations of the insects around the world, research suggests.

Bees usually begin foraging at two to three weeks old but when older workers are killed off by disease, lack of food or other factors they have to start younger.

Scientists who attached radio tracking devices to thousands of bees found early-starters had fewer foraging flights and were more likely to die on their first sortie. The phenomenon may be a key factor behind colony collapse disorder, a major threat to bee colonies, and crop pollination.