Honey Bees Capable of Sensing Viruses in Food Sources

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) often encounter viruses while foraging for pollen and nectar on flowers. Detecting these viruses is crucial for minimizing infections and disease spread. While many insects, including honey bees, can sense viruses indirectly through sick nestmates, it was previously unclear if they could directly identify viruses in food sources. To assist beekeepers in managing viral spread, researchers from the ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Research Unit in Baton Rouge, LA, investigated whether honey bees could detect viruses like deformed wing virus, black queen cell virus, and chronic bee paralysis virus in contaminated food.