The following statements from Xerces material show that they are clearing attempting to make a case that honey bees transmit diseases and pathogens to bumble bees. What is not addressed in the work is that these pests already occur in both species, thereby raising the question of which species had them first, or if there ever was a time that they didn't both have them. However, and following the decisions made in regard to the honey bee industry, it cannot be justified to regulate any interstate movement of bees on the basis of pathogens that are already ubiquitous.

> Deformed wing virus (DWV), a honey bee pathogen that results in crippled wings, was thought to be specific to honey bees. However, starting in 2004, dead bumble bee queens with crumpled, vestigial wings were found in European commercial bumble bee breeding operations at a frequency of around 10%. DWV is pathogenic to at least two bumble bee species (B. terrestris and B. pascuorum), causing wing deformity similar to clinically DWV-infected honey bees.

> The symptoms of DWV have also been observed in commercially raised B. impatiens colonies in North America. Since bees exhibiting symptoms of DWV are unable to forage, DWV infection has the potential to negatively impact the success of colonies. Honey bees have also been shown to be possible vectors for the trypansomatid Crithidia bombi. C. bombi does not infect honey bees but they can carry this parasite and possibly spread it to bumble bees.


Peter Loring Borst 
Ithaca, NY  USA 
peterloringborst.com

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