Detection of Deformed wing virus, a honey bee viral pathogen, in bumble bees ( Bombus terrestris and Bombus pascuorum) with wing deformities

Abstract

Honey bees ( Apis mellifera) productively infected with Deformed wing virus (DWV) through Varroa destructor ( V. destructor) during pupal stages develop into adults showing wing and other morphological deformities. Here, we report for the first time the occurrence of bumble bees ( Bombus terrestris, Bombus pascuorum) exhibiting wing deformities resembling those seen in clinically DWV-infected honey bees. Using specific RT-PCR protocols for the detection of DWV followed by sequencing of the PCR products we could demonstrate that the bumble bees were indeed infected with DWV. Since such deformed bumble bees are not viable DWV infection may pose a serious threat to bumble bee populations.