Detection and Replication of Moku Virus in Honey Bees and Social Wasps.

Andrea Highfield,Jessica Kevill,Seirian Sumner,Jade Hunt,John Feltwell,Declan C Schroeder,Gideon Mordecai,Daniel Sauvard,Summer Henderson,Stephen J Martin

doi:10.3390/v12060607

Abstract

Transmission of honey bee viruses to other insects, and vice versa, has previously been reported and the true ecological importance of this phenomenon is still being realized. Members of the family Vespidae interact with honey bees via predation or through the robbing of brood or honey from colonies, and these activities could result in virus transfer. In this study we screened Vespa velutina and Vespa crabro collected from Europe and China and also honey bees and Vespula vulgaris from the UK for Moku virus (MV), an Iflavirus first discovered in the predatory social wasp Vespula pensylvanica in Hawaii. MV was found in 71% of Vespula vulgaris screened and was also detected in UK Vespa crabro. Only seven percent of Vespa velutina individuals screened were MV-positive and these were exclusively samples from Jersey. Of 69 honey bee colonies screened, 43% tested positive for MV. MV replication was confirmed in Apis mellifera and Vespidae species, being most frequently detected in Vespula vulgaris. MV sequences from the UK were most similar to MV from Vespula pensylvanica compared to MV from Vespa velutina in Belgium. The implications of the transfer of viruses between the Vespidae and honey bees are discussed.

Highlights

IntroductionHornets (Vespa) and yellow-jacket wasps (Dolichovespula and Vespula, the latter abbreviated to Vs.)
Hornets (Vespa) and yellow-jacket wasps (Dolichovespula and Vespula, the latter abbreviated to Vs.)all belong to the family of social wasps, Vespidae, sub-family Vespinae [1]
We extended our screening to the UK honey bee population and the common wasp, Vs. vulgaris

Summary

Introduction

Hornets (Vespa) and yellow-jacket wasps (Dolichovespula and Vespula, the latter abbreviated to Vs.). All belong to the family of social wasps, Vespidae, sub-family Vespinae [1]. Nine species of social wasps are found in the UK including eight yellow-jackets and a single hornet species, the European. The Asian hornet, Vespa velutina nigrithorax, has become established in numerous European countries, including Spain, Belgium, and Italy [2,3] after being accidentally introduced into the Bordeaux region of France in 2004 [4]. In the UK the hornet has become established in the Channel Isles and several mature nests have been destroyed on the mainland. It is anticipated that it is only a matter of time until it becomes established on the mainland too [5].

Methods

Results

Conclusion