Honey Bees May Play Role In Spreading Viruses To Wild Bumble Bees

Honey bees may play a role in increasing virus levels in wild bumble bees each spring, according to researchers at Penn State who analyzed seasonal trends of parasite and virus transmission in bees.

The study — published in the journal Ecosphere — found that honey bees consistently had higher levels of viruses than bumble bees. Additionally, while both types of bees had lower virus prevalence in the winter, only bumble bees experienced negligible levels by spring.

Heather Hines, associate professor of biology and entomology in the College of Agricultural Sciences and corresponding author on th...