Bee Viruses Spread via Flower Pollen, study finds (the final answer?)

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Viruses that could play a role in the recent decline in honeybee colonies may be spreading through flower pollen, new research finds. What's more, a number of wild pollinators, such as bumblebees, yellowjackets, and wasps, can also become infected with viruses in the pollen.

In hives affected by colony collapse disorder—a phenomenon that surfaced in U.S. honeybee colonies in 2006—worker bees vanish en masse. Some studies have suggested that Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), first identified in 2002, may be contributing to the bees' demise.

Scientists knew that several viruses that infect honeybee colonies are transmitted from one bee to another within the hive through the bugs' saliva or from an infected queen to her eggs. But how the viruses moved from hive to hive was relatively unknown, said study leader Diana Cox-Foster, an entomologist at Pennsylvania State University. "People suspected the viruses were being transmitted by bees visiting other colonies, but no one really knew there was evidence for the virus moving into other [insect] species," she said.

Contaminated Pollen Infecting Bees

Bees collect nectar to make into honey and to make "bee bread"—pollen packed by workers into tiny balls with a bit of nectar added. When Cox-Foster's team collected university-owned honeybees as the insects were harvesting pollen, they found that some bees were healthy but their pollen loads were contaminated. This indicated that at least one type of virus—deformed wing virus, another fatal bee disease—was spreading from the pollen to the bees, and not always the other way around.

In a separate experiment, the team collected and examined wild bumblebees and wasps and discovered molecular evidence of viruses that can infect honeybees. When bees from a healthy hive visited the same flowers previously visited by sick bumblebees, the colony contracted the virus within a week, the team found.

Source: news.nationalgeographic.com...

Very interesting indeed, at a micro-level. I wonder if the bees know they are carrying a problem and have been sent to the other colony on purpose to cause damage? If they are smart enough to be able to fly around and get back home.....

I never really heard much about this problem of the Bees dying off until I joined ATS. Now I understand the importance of finding out what is causing the massive die offs.

If this theory is correct, I think it demostrates a much more complicated system of communications and living between bee colonies. More so than we had previously thought.

It will be an interesting developement to keep an eye on-for sure.

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Im really surprised this one didn't get any attention. With all the earlier concern displayed. I would think those folks would have something to say regarding this study/findings.

Maybe I'm wrong. I was hoping for some ATS pros in this topic area to input their thoughts.

reply to post by anon72


I'll give this thread a bump and a plug for my earlier thread.
Monsanto - Bayer Engineering Death: Bees, Bats and You?


I'll also place a link on mine to this one.

reply to post by SLAYER69


Good man. Thank you.

Going to check that link to yours now.

I have to say a very interesting and important topic. It's just tough getting people to realize that-maybe.

Have a Happy New Years!!