While I have no wish to initiate another "flame session" on BEE-L, as
a New Zealand subscriber to the list I would like to make clear the
following in relation to Mr. Patton's comment that "I think the
viruses have come to the North American Continent via N Z bees to
Canada and Canadian bees to the U S":
 
- all viruses which have been found in NZ honey bees have also been
found in honey bees in a variety of other places in the world.
 
- because a particular bee virus is not listed as occurring in any
geographic location does not mean that the virus is in fact absent; it
is just as possible that the area has not been investigated thoroughly
for the presence of the virus by a scientist with the skills and
funding necessary to find the virus, especially when the virus does
not cause observable symptoms (the claim that Kashmir bee virus was
absent from the continental US until a detailed study was carried out
is a good case in point).  Absence of evidence is not evidence of
absence.
 
- Kashmir bee virus was identified in New Zealand by Dr. Denis
Anderson, an Australian bee virologist who worked in New Zealand for
several years as a bee pathologist.  Dr. Anderson did his Ph.D on
Kashmir bee virus and is now regarded as the preeminent scientist
capable of finding the virus.  I understand that that is why Dr.
Anderson was asked to assist in identification work on that virus for
samples from the continental US.  Dr. Anderson has been instrumental
in providing evidence that the virus is more widespread in the world
population of honey bees than was first postulated by Drs. Bailey and
Woods in 1977.
 
- Dr. Anderson has found that the Canadian isolate of Kashmir bee
virus is a distinct serological strain from the Australian strain,
which in turn, is serologically distinct from the isolates from New
Zealand.  The US isolates have also been found to be serologically
distinct from the Australian strain.
 
- Like the Americas, neither Australia or New Zealand have any native
populations of Apis mellifera.  The populations of Apis mellifera
found in New Zealand came from Europe, the US (originally from Europe)
and Australia (originally from the US and Europe).   New Zealand also
does not have any other native species of social bee.   According to
Dr. Anderson, it is therefore likely that either the virus exists in
other insect species found in a many countries, or that the virus
originated in Apis mellifera in an area in Europe which provided
stocks of Apis mellifera which were taken the countries where it has
now been identified.
 
For further factual information on the subject of Kashmir bee virus,
its occurrence and likely origins, I would recommend the following:
 
Anderson, D (1991) Kashmir bee virus - a relatively harmless virus of
honey bee colonies.  American Bee Journal 131: 767-770.
 
Bruce, W, Anderson, D, Calderone, N and Shimanuki, H (1995) A survey
for Kashmir bee virus in honey bee colonies in the United States.
American Bee Journal 135: 352-355.
 
 
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Nick Wallingford
President - National Beekeepers Assn of NZ
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