Global bee declines may ease after a promising vaccine breakthrough
The worldwide decline of bees, one of the planet’s most crucial pollinators with more than 20,000 species, could level off due to a new vaccine aimed at managing and preventing key diseases in these insects.
Experts describe the development as encouraging. A microbiology professor noted that this vaccine could limit disease spread without infecting bees, offering a protective tool for hives and ecosystems alike.
Raúl Rivas González, a professor of Microbiology at the University of Salamanca, highlighted the vaccine as a means to prevent environmental contamination and safeguard bee populations. The goal is to reduce losses for beekeepers while supporting the health of pollinator communities on a global scale.
Rivas González estimated that the global economic value of crop pollination by bees and other pollinators exceeds €200,000 million, with pollination contributing to about 10% of the world’s agrifood production. The vaccine is seen as a way to stabilize this essential service and sustain agricultural productivity.
Multiple diseases affect bees
Bees fall ill for many reasons. Abiotic factors such as weather, water availability, and pesticide exposure play a part, but biotic factors—living organisms—are the most impactful on hive health.
Bee vaccines represent a first big step toward mitigating declines. When harmful bacteria invade a colony, they can form hardy endospores that persist in the environment for years. Contact with bees can trigger spore germination, producing bacterial cells that multiply quickly and become potent pathogens inside hives.
50% effectiveness
How does infection spread? Bees can pick up bacteria or spores by incidental contact during routine colony tasks. Dead larvae expelled from the hive and nurse bees feeding larvae with contaminated food are common routes for introducing pathogens into a hive.
The vaccine under discussion uses killed bacterial cells administered alongside feed for the colony, including queen bees. It appears to influence the queen’s ovaries, enabling intergenerational immunity that is passed to eggs laid by the queen.
From this point forward, immunization aims to limit disease spread within and between hives. Early testing and analyses suggest a meaningful, though not perfect, level of protection, with effectiveness around 50% for certain pathogens—an important milestone in a field with serious challenges.
Experts caution that the road remains long. Many diseases still threaten bees, and regulatory approvals and adoption timelines vary by region. While the vaccine marks progress, widespread use will require continued work, monitoring, and policy alignment to ensure safety and efficacy across diverse environments.
A world without these pollinators would be unthinkable. A substantial share of plants relies on insect pollinators for reproduction, and their decline would threaten biodiversity and agricultural resilience. Protecting bees is essential for sustainable farming and ecological balance in North America and beyond.