"In late summer we've had samples consisting of over 80% fungal spores."

"The incidental collection of fungal spores by bees and the collection of
spores in lieu of pollen.
Shaw, D. E., Plant Pathology Branch, Department of Primary Industries,
Meiers Road, Indooroopilly, Qld. 4068, Australia.
Bee World 1990 Vol. 71 No. 4 pp. 158-176"

I had the pleasure of working with Dorothy Shaw during my time with the
Queensland Department back in the 80's, particularly on a project with
fungus growing on "mill mud".  "Mill mud" is the dirt etc. that is produced
during the processing of sugar cane into raw sugar.  There was a fungus
growing on this "mill mud" and the bees were actively collecting spores off
it.  We used pollen traps to collect some of the spores the bees were
working.  This may be mentioned in the above paper.  I do not have access to
it so cannot check.

At home here we have frangipani trees which, just before the leaves fall, it
is deciduous, there is a rust that gets on the leaves.  The bees actively
work this and you can hear the "roar" of the bees as they collect the
spores.  It looks just like pollen on their legs.  It is a yellow colour.
My wife, Marion, has a photo of a bee with these spores in the pollen
basket.

When myrtle rust came to Australia several years ago there was fear that
bees would spread the rust as they collected the spores off the rust.  At
the time I pointed out that flying foxes also worked the trees with the
myrtle rust on it and they fly a lot further than bees. They did not want to
progress the flying fox issue as they were getting bad press at the time due
to a couple of Hendra virus outbreaks so backed off on the bee side.  Also
birds work the flowers so blaming our honey bees was a bit over the top.   

The question I asked at the time and no one could answer it was "Are the
spores viable"?  I suggested that as bees add those bits to the pollen this
could render the spores not viable.

Trevor Weatherhead
Australia
 

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