Honey bee hives have ‘living immune systems’ which defend against disease

Key points

• Honey bee colonies keep harmful microbes under control, and new research suggests the hive's layout helps make this possible. Researchers sampled 24 colonies from five apiaries in New South Wales, examining honey, propolis, pollen and wax.
• Different parts of the hive use different antimicrobial chemicals, from hydrogen peroxide in honey to flavonoids in propolis. The strongest factor in the chemical strength of hive materials was the apiary location, not disease history.
• Researchers say diverse flowering plants around hives may support colony health, and that the same may apply to other social insects.