The abstract of "Genomics of the honey bee microbiome" by Nancy A.  
Moran:
The guts of honey bee workers contain a distinctive community of  
bacterial species. They are microaerophilic or anaerobic, and were not  
clearly deliniated by earlier studies relying on laboratory culture of  
isolates under atmospheric oxygen levels. Recently, a more complete  
picture of the potential metabolism and functions of these bacteria  
have been possible, using genomic approaches based on metagenomic  
samples, as well as cultured isolates. Of these, most are host- 
restricted and are generally absent outside adult guts. These species  
include both Gram negative groups, such as Gilliamella apicola and  
Snodgrassella alvi, and Gram positive groups such as certain  
Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species. These gut bacterial species  
appear to have undergone long term coevolution with honey bee and, in  
some cases, bumble bee hosts. Prediction of gene functions from genome  
sequences suggests roles in nutrition, digestion, and potentially in  
defense against pathogens. In particular, genes for sugar utilization  
and carbohydrate breakdown are enriched in G. apicola and the  
Lactobacillus species.

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