Ontogeny of immunity and natural viral infection in Apis mellifera drones and workers.

The most common viral diseases affecting honey bees (Apis mellifera) in Israel include deformed wing viruses (DWV-A and DWV-B) and acute paralysis viruses (ABPV and IAPV). These viruses are transmitted within and between colonies, both horizontally and vertically. All members of the colony contribute to this transmission, on the other hand individual and social immunity, particularly hygienic behaviour, may affect the outcome of the process.

Virus transmission via honey bee prey and potential impact on cocoon-building in labyrinth spiders (Agelena labyrinthica).

Interspecies transmission of RNA viruses is a major concern for human and animal health. However, host-range, transmission routes and especially the possible impact of these viruses on alternative hosts are often poorly understood. Here, we investigated the role of the labyrinth spider, Agelena labyrinthica, as a potential alternative host of viruses commonly known from western honey bees, Apis mellifera.

Multiple benefits of breeding honey bees for hygienic behavior.

Honey bee colonies are prone to invasion by pests and pathogens. The combination of the parasitic mite Varroa destructor (Varroa) and the multiple viruses it vectors, is a major driver of colony losses. Breeding for hygienic behavior to reduce Varroa populations is considered a sustainable way to reduce the impact of Varroa on honey bee health.

Cold case: The disappearance of Egypt bee virus, a fourth distinct master strain of deformed wing virus linked to honeybee mortality in 1970's Egypt.

In 1977, a sample of diseased adult honeybees (Apis mellifera) from Egypt was found to contain large amounts of a previously unknown virus, Egypt bee virus, which was subsequently shown to be serologically related to deformed wing virus (DWV). By sequencing the original isolate, we demonstrate that Egypt bee virus is in fact a fourth unique, major variant of DWV (DWV-D): more closely related to DWV-C than to either DWV-A or DWV-B. DWV-A and DWV-B are the most common DWV variants worldwide due to their close relationship and transmission by Varroa destructor.

A SNP assay for assessing diversity in immune genes in the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.).

With a growing number of parasites and pathogens experiencing large-scale range expansions, monitoring diversity in immune genes of host populations has never been so important because it can inform on the adaptive potential to resist the invaders. Population surveys of immune genes are becoming common in many organisms, yet they are missing in the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.), a key managed pollinator species that has been severely affected by biological invasions.