Virus transmission between bee species does not lead to new variants
image:
Bombus griseocollis, a bee species that was part of the study.
view moreCredit: Ancilla Schroeder
A new study led by researchers at the University of Minnesota found transmission of viruses between different bee species did not lead to the formation of new virus variants.
Results of the study, published in Communications Biology, may be a rare bit of good news for bee pollinators, which have been in decline for over 25 years, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Led by researchers in the College of Veterinary Medicine and the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, the study focused on three viruses: deformed wing virus, black queen cell virus and sacbrood virus. These are three known pathogens of the non-native Western honey bee, the most commonly kept by beekeepers and the most widespread bee species in the world.
Funding was provided by the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources.
The researchers performed genomic sequencing on samples over three years to track the Western honey bee viral landscapes and whether the viruses could infect and adapt to common native bumblebees.
They found:
- While the honeybee viruses were present in the bumblebees, they were over 98% genetically identical and did not accumulate mutations that were specific to bumblebees.
- No bumblebee-specific variants of honeybee viruses could be detected, signaling that the viruses had not established themselves within the bumblebee populations. This suggests that the bumblebee was a dead-end host and bumblebee to bumblebee transmission was not taking place.
- The bumblebee had their own distinctive virome suggesting that these viruses were of more concern than those originating from honeybees.
Bee pollinator populations that are crucial to ecosystems and food production globally are under strain because of habitat loss, pesticides, climate change, invasive species, and pathogen-related diseases. One potential disease threat comes from the phenomenon for viral spillover to native pollinator species.
“While a concern, viral spillover from managed honeybees to wild bumblebees has of yet not resulted in the pandemic-type effects as first proposed,” said lead PI and corresponding author Declan Schroeder, a professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine. “Viral spillover does not appear to be a reason to limit or restrict the placement of honeybee colonies in areas occupied by wild bumblebees or bees of other species.”
Protection of bumblebees of conservation concern from potential pathogen spillover from honeybees is still a valid conservation action, particularly when protecting species at risk of extinction. Low genetic diversity, which has been demonstrated in bumblebee species of conservation concern, could increase vulnerability to pathogen spillover.
“We will continue to monitor the true viral diversity found both in managed honeybees and wild bee pollinators. Having a clear understanding of the bee viral baseline will allow us to act if new or reintroductions occur," said Schroeder.
“While it is reassuring to see a lack of virus replication in this study system, there are still several reasons to minimize exposure of native bee populations to managed honeybees. While this study found that there were no new virus variants formed in bumblebee hosts, that does not mean that the spillover of honeybee viruses to other bees is without risk. I hope that this study can lead to more monitoring to understand the impacts of the viruses on the health of bumblebees and other wild bees,” said co-author Elaine Evans, an Extension professor and researcher in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences.
The UMN Bee Squad Program received private donations from individuals and the Minnesota Saint Paul Airport to support beekeeping activities.
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About the College of Veterinary Medicine
The University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine is a global leader in advancing education, health, and research at the interface of animals, people, and the environment. The college is also home to the Veterinary Medical Center, the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and The Raptor Center. Learn more at vetmed.umn.edu.
Journal
Communications Biology
Method of Research
Observational study
Subject of Research
Animals
Article Title
Distinct virome compositions and lack of viral diversification indicate that viral spillover is a dead-end between the western honey bee and the common eastern bumblebee
Article Publication Date
16-Jun-2025
Where the wild bees thrive
Research highlights potential of combining agricultural and environmental measures for species protection
University of Göttingen
image:
Red-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius) on flowering meadow knapweed
view moreCredit: Lisa Prudnikow
The global decline of wild bee populations is alarming. Landscapes characterised by intensive agriculture offer hardly any suitable habitats. Isolated local efforts are often not enough to counteract this loss. Now, researchers from the Universities of Göttingen and Halle show that combining certain agricultural and environmental measures at the landscape level can offer more protection for wild bees. Their findings show that organic farming combined with multi-year natural habitats – such as meadows planted with long-lasting, perennial plants – is particularly effective. These two types of habitats together support significantly more wild bees than either does on its own. The results were published in the Journal of Applied Ecology.
The researchers analysed the impact of three large-scale environmental measures in 32 agricultural landscapes: the creation of organic farmland; areas planted with flowers that bloom annually; and near-natural habitats using plants that return year after year. This enabled them to determine how different habitat combinations influenced wild bee abundance and species diversity.
They found that not every habitat combination is equally successful. The results show that many wild bees benefit most from a combination of organic farming and perennial, near-natural habitats. This is particularly true for wild bee species other than bumblebees. The reason: the areas complement each other by providing different food sources and nesting sites over longer periods of time. Bumblebees, on the other hand, benefit from both organic farming areas and near-natural habitats, regardless of whether the two occur together in the landscape or not. A less successful combination, however, is organic farmland paired with areas filled with plants that flower annually. These habitats offer similar flowers as a food source at the same time, but no additional variety – meaning the positives do not increase the total benefits to bees.
“Our findings show that a well-designed mix of habitat types is key. When areas complement each other in terms of food and nesting resources, they can support a wider range of wild bee species,” explains Kathrin Czechofsky, PhD researcher in Functional Agrobiodiversity and Agroecology at the University of Göttingen. Dr Annika Hass, a lead researcher from the ComBee project, adds: “This study offers important guidance for shaping future measures for agriculture and the environment. It highlights the value of coordinated, landscape-scale planning.”
The research is part of the ComBee project, a collaboration between the Universities of Göttingen and Halle. More information about the project can be found here: https://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/646422.html. The project was funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) and the German Research Foundation (DFG).
Original publication: Kathrin Czechofsky, Catrin Westphal, Robert Paxton, Annika Hass, Landscape-level synergistic and antagonistic effects among conservation measures drive wild bee densities and species richness. Journal of Applied Ecology (2025). DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.70074
Organic farmland full of poppies and cornflowers
Credit
Kathrin Czechofsky
Journal
Journal of Applied Ecology
Method of Research
Experimental study
Subject of Research
Not applicable
Article Title
Landscape-level synergistic and antagonistic effects among conservation measures drive wild bee densities and species richness
Article Publication Date
15-Jun-2025
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