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Virus Causes Buzz in Bee Caper

Breakthrough may help explain billions of apian deaths

By Zach Samalin, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 6, 2007 8:48 PM CDT

(Newser) – The mysterious deaths of billions of honeybees now has a new leading suspect, scientists say: a newcomer to the US called Israeli acute paralysis virus. And as most stricken colonies test positive for the disease, the lead seems promising, the AP reports. The deaths have hit between 50% and 90% of all commercial American hives, potentially affecting some 90 crops pollinated by bees.

"It's certainly more than a smoking gun," one entomologist says. But most don't seem to think the virus is acting alone: Other possible culprits include pesticides, nutrition, parasites, and travel. Fingers are pointing at Australia as the disease's potential source–America started importing bees from Down Under in 2004, when the disease first broke out.

[Images (4)]

[Videos (1)]

A hive of honey bees at Busy Bees Apiaries in Chapel Hill, N.C. in this 2005 file photo. Collapsing colony disorder has spread to Bismarck, N.D., in 2007; the phenomenon affects crops that depend on bees... (Associated Press)

Far from a silver bullet, the newfound virus may be just one of many possible explanations to the recent wave of dead bees. (TTaylor; Wikimedia Commons)

This undated handout photo provided by the journal Science shows a Honey bee worker carrying a parasitic Varroa mite. (AP Photo/Agriculture Research Service/USDA Scott Bauer, Science) (Associated Press)

Beekeeper Alison Skinner of Guelph, Ontario,Canada, shows off her face full of bees at the Clovermead Bees and Honey, Bee Beard competition in Aylmer, Ontario, Saturday, August 11, 2007. (AP PHOTO/CP,Dave... (Associated Press)

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A student addresses the dwindling bee population in "Bee Aware". (marksbrothers (YouTube))

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Virus Causes Buzz in Bee Caper