Biologists at the University of California, San Diego have discovered that a tiny single-celled parasite may have a greater-than-expected impact on honeybee colonies.
In this week’s issue of the journal PLOS ONE, the scientists report that a microsporidian called Nosema ceranae, which has been known to infect adult Asiatic and European honeybees, can also infect honeybee larvae. They also discovered that honey bee larvae infected with the microsporidian have reduced lifespans as adults.
More information available here: http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/pressrelease/tiny_parasite_may_contribute_to_declines_in_honey_bee_colonies_by_infecting
