Western Honey Bees Identified as Vectors for Myrtle Rust Spread in Australia

Exam-focused facts from the 11 June 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

Myrtle rust is caused by the fungus Austropuccinia psidii and was first detected in Australia in 2010.
The fungus affects species in the Myrtaceae family, including paperbarks, eucalypts, and bottlebrushes, threatening nearly 17% of Australia's endemic vegetation.
Research published in NeoBiota by University of Cambridge scientists found that western honey bees collect fungal spores as a nutritional protein source.
Fungal spores contain more than 22% protein and all ten essential amino acids, remaining viable and infectious within bee hives for at least 9 days.
The interaction between the introduced honey bee and the invasive fungus is termed invasional mutualism, enabling the pathogen to spread further than wind dispersal alone.