Review of Bee Health

By Alexander Barreira and Young Min Kim

The global spread of a virus that leads to stubby wings and early mortality for honey bees has been linked to beekeeping practices, suggests a recent study by campus scientists in tandem with other institutions.

Mike Boots of UC Berkeley, in collaboration with scientists at the University of Exeter, led the team in analyzing the genomes of various viruses in order to trace the origins of Deformed Wing Virus to human-managed honey bee colonies in Europe. Their study, published in Science magazine on Feb. 5, adds to growing concerns about the health of global honey bee populations.