Bumblebees identified as key carriers of deadly bee paralysis virus

Researchers from the Universities of Halle and Göttingen have discovered that the Acute Bee Paralysis Virus (ABPV) can spread between different species of pollinators. A large-scale field study involving the analysis of 1,725 bees revealed that species act as key hosts for specific viruses.

While honeybees are the primary carriers for Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) and Black Queen Cell Virus (BQCV), the study identifies the buff-tailed bumblebee as a central host and “silent carrier” for ABPV. This finding challenges previous assumptions that the virus originated solely within honeybee populations before jumping to other species.