Deformed Wing Virus an Hummeln

[Horst]

Deformed Wing Virus an bumble
Hi,
are a number of years I have observed stunted wings on our wild bumble bees (Bombus lapidarius) only queens, others were local bumble bees of Bombus terrestris found. An investigation revealed the Deformed Wing Virus (DWV).
Anyone who has observed deformed wing bees in? Please advice.
Regards, Horst

http://www.lvthi.de/downloads/bienen...ueberblick.pdf

[Oldtimer]

Hi Horst, very interesting, I did not know it affected Bumblebees.

Before varroa mites came DWV on honeybees was very rare, I would only see it once every few hundred hives. But now it is spread by varroa mites and there is a lot more.

One possibility, because there is a lot more of it in honey bees now, there is more to transmit to Bumblebees?

[Horst]

Hi oldtimer,
how is it related to infection with the DWVirus to bumblebees? By the Varroa mite? Or, by food, honey?
I think it is a very serious issue.
Best regards, Horst

[Yuleluder]

a recent study at Penn state seems to indicate DWV is found in pollen.

http://www.plosone.org/article/info%...l.pone.0014357

[Horst]

Thank you for pointing that explains a lot.
Horst

[Honeycomb]

Wow, interesting article. I have wondered for a long time if bees could get viruses from plants. I would really like to know more about this. In California there are a lot of plant viruses. I have passion vines that have mosaic virus, and the bees go to them all the time. I'm curious if those types of viruses ever translate to anything on bees.

[Oldtimer]

Hmmm... Well not sure the DWV actually infects the pollen, or more just gets contaminated with it, via bees, but is not infected.