 Sunflower pollen has been shown to reduce the severity of gut protozoan pathogen, cathidia bomby infections in bombast impatient spumble bees. This effect is likely due to its ability to increase the bees resistance to the pathogen through changes in their immune system. Sunflower pollen also appears to induce detoxification genes in the bees, which may help protect them from the toxins produced by the pathogen. Additionally, sunflower pollen appears to cause physical damage to the bees gut epithelium, which may lead to increased susceptibility to the pathogen. This article was authored by Jonathan J. Giacomini, Linness Adler, Benjamin J. Reading, and others.