Bee colony collapse linked with viral, fungal infection
October 9th, 2010 - 4:08 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Oct 9 (ANI): It seems the long-standing mystery of the sudden death of bee colonies since late 2006 across North America has been solved.
Shan Bilimoria of the Texas Tech University said the bees might be taking a one-two punch from both an insect virus and a fungus, which may be causing bees to die off by the billions.
Bilimoria is part of a team of researchers searching for the cause of the collapse.
Led by research professor Jerry Bromenshenk from the University of Montana in Missoula, the group also includes virologists and chemists from the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center and the Instituto de Ecologica AC in Mexico.
“At this stage, the study is showing an association of death rates of the bees with the virus and fungus present,” said Bilimoria.
To discover what might be attacking bee colonies, the team ground up dead bees that had succumbed to colony collapse disorder.
Using analytical equipment, researchers discovered through spectroscopic analysis evidence of a moth virus called insect iridescent virus (IIV) 6 and a fungal parasite called Nosema.
The insect virus is closely related to another virus that wiped out bee populations 20 years ago in India, he said. Also, unlike previous research that found the deaths may be caused by a virus with RNA, the IIV 6 contains DNA.
The study was published in the journal PLoS ONE. (ANI)
- Study: Reason found for the Honey Bee Colony collapse syndrome - Oct 09, 2010
- Scientists sequence bee-killing parasite genome - Jun 05, 2009
- Bees 'self-medicate' when infected - Apr 02, 2012
- Conservationists Petition To Add Franklin's Bumblebee Into Endangered Species List - Jun 24, 2010
- Common pesticide behind beehive collapse - Apr 09, 2012
- Cell phones killing off global bee populations - May 13, 2011
- Sleep-deprived bees make poor dancers: Study - Dec 14, 2010
- Some honey bees tend to take risks - Mar 11, 2012
- Virus brainwashes caterpillars to melt themselves - Sep 12, 2011
- New technique could help explain why bee populations are declining - Mar 22, 2011
- Bumblebees on verge of extinction? - Jan 05, 2011
- Transgenic fungi may help fight malaria: Study - Feb 25, 2011
- Heroic altruistic ants die alone to save colony - Feb 16, 2010
- Bee swarms make decisions like humans - Dec 11, 2011
- New pesticides killing honeybees worldwide - Jan 21, 2011
Tags: analytical equipment, bee colonies, bee colony, bee populations, chemical biological center, collapse, colony collapse disorder, dead bees, death rates, edgewood chemical biological center, fungal infection, insect virus, plos one, previous research, research professor, texas tech university, u s army, university of montana, university of montana in missoula, virologists