What makes us different? Read our Declaration of Journalistic Independence Home | About Natural News | Contact Us | Write for Natural News
Search our 25,000 free articles and special reports
honeybees

Honeybee collapse linked to deadly virus invasion

Monday, October 08, 2007 by: David Gutierrez | Key concepts: honeybees, United States and colony collapse disorder

Want stories like this e-mailed to you? Click here for free email alerts
Email this article to a friend Printable Version

Personal Health Solutions from NaturalNews

Replace your toxic laundry detergent with natural laundry soap that grows on trees! (NEW source!)
This top "underground" natural health newsletter brings you amazing new natural cures each month. Save $100!
How to treat and cure over 100 health conditions using little-known health secrets
How to halt type-2 diabetes with nutritional therapy - over 50% cure rate proven in studies
End cravings with this guide to natural appetite suppressants (Download edition available.)
How to blend nutritious meals in minutes with Adams' Superfood smoothie recipes (Delicious!)
Breakthrough LED lighting technology prevents global warming, saves 90% on your lighting bill

• Browse more health books...
• Shop our eco-friendly products...

All sales help fund naturalnews operations.
(NaturalNews) A virus has been identified that is strongly associated with colony collapse disorder in the United States, according to a new study conducted by researchers from Pennsylvania State University, Columbia University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and a number of other institutions and published in the journal "Science."

In colony collapse disorder, the worker bees in a hive die off en masse without apparent reason, even though there are still plentiful supplies of food as well as a queen and other adult bees. The disorder first surfaced in the United States in 2004, and was formally recognized in 2006. In the winter of 2006-2007, it led to the destruction of 23 percent of the beehives in the United States.

Researchers examined the genes of bees from colonies that had and had not collapsed, comparing them against the mapped honeybee genome and searching for modifications caused by bacteria or viruses. Twenty-five of the 30 collapsed colonies showed evidence of exposure to Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), while only one of the 21 unaffected colonies did.

"The only candidate which was left standing at the end of this very rigorous process was IAPV," said researcher W. Ian Lipkin.

"This is a major finding," he said. "What we have at present is a marker. We do not think IAPV alone is causing this disease."

Other factors that the researchers believe may be involved in colony collapse are varroa mites and pesticides, both of which may lower bees' resistance to IAPV. The researchers said that they found no evidence that cellular phone signals were involved in colony collapse disorder.

Researchers believe that IAPV may have been introduced into the United States by Australian honeybees. Since there are no varroa mites in Australia, the virus may not have triggered colony collapse there.

Colony collapse has occurred in other countries, but nowhere on the same scale as the United States.

USDA researchers are now planning to inject healthy honeybee colonies with IAPV to see if it causes massive die off.

Related Articles

• Breakthrough honeybee drugs to treat Colony Collapse Disorder (satire)

• The Truth About Honeybees Provide Clues to Their Disappearance

• Mysterious collapse of honeybee populations threatens national food supply

• Honeybee Colony Collapse to Devastate Food Companies, Result in Food Scarcity

• Honeybees and Almonds, Pigs and MRSA: The Deadly Connections

Additional Resources:

honeybees
United States
colony collapse disorder

Take Action: Support NaturalNews.com

Email this article to a friend

Share this article on: NewsVine | digg | del.icio.us

Permalink to this article: http://www.NaturalNews.com/022098.html

Reprinting this article: Non-commercial OK, cite NaturalNews.com with clickable link.

Receive our Natural Health Newsletter for FREE

Subscribe now (it's free!) to win. We randomly choose a subscriber each month to send $100 in eco-home products or a RealGoods.com gift certificate (our choice). Plus, you'll receive FREE news, articles and action alerts from NaturalNews.com editors and join over 800,000 monthly readers who report extraordinary health improvements after becoming a subscriber!
  • Receive breaking news alerts on natural health solutions, renewable energy, the environment, global warming and more.
  • Receive a free instant download of our $29 Secret Sources guide that reveals top sources for little-known health and diet solutions.
Your Email Address:
Free Subscription Code:
Enter the numbers you see:
100% free of charge. Unsubscribe anytime.
Absolutely no spam. We respect your email privacy.

Recommended Special Report:

Seven Words that can Change the World
by Joseph R. Simonetta

Read this special report now...

"Seven Words That Can Change the World reveals the astonishing, simple truths that have the power to forever transform our world for the better while freeing our minds from the enslavement of limiting beliefs. This is not a text for the simple-minded; it is a guiding philosophy for the mindful, intelligent few who are wise enough to seek out -- and recognize -- the higher simplicities of truly purposeful living." - Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, editor of NaturalNews.com

More on NaturalNews.com:

• Streaming Health Ranger Videos
• CounterThink Cartoons
• FREE Special Reports
• Podcasts

Also Posted Today

• Nutrient Profile: Vitamin D and its Many Functions

• Former FDA Deputy Commissioner Gottlieb Now Pushing Big Pharma Drugs

• Fasting One Day a Month Causes Significant Reduction in Clogged Arteries

• Why the 'Best By' Date Label on Pet Foods Is So Important

• Review: Zyflamend Supplement for Inflammation; Tips on Anti-Inflammatory Foods and Herbs

Beat Disease With Juice Feasting!

NEW 6-CD audio set reveals amazing new protocol for reversing cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart disease and more. Click to learn more.

Own Health Ranger Report Podcasts on Audio CD

Own the first 8 Health Ranger Report audio programs on 6 CDs. Covers weight loss, ADHD, vaccinations, processed meats, bone health and more. Click to learn more.

Featured Videos

Short clip on Aspartame
A short clip on aspartame from the documentary All Jacked Up.
Click here to view now...

Exclusive video on Aspartame
The dangers of aspartame! Exclusive interview footage from Cori Brackett of Sweet Remedy.
Click here to view now...

Exclusive Footage from All Jacked Up!
See interview footage featuring the Health Ranger in the upcoming junk food film, All Jacked Up.
Click here to view now...

Drug Ad Parody
See the Health Ranger's satire parody of Merck's cholesterol drug ad.
Click here to view now...

Free Health Reports!

• Amazon Herb Company review
• The pH Nutrition Guide to Acid / Alkaline Balance
• Pet Food Ingredients Revealed! (shocking)
• Medicine From Fish
• The Water Cure
• The Healing Power of Sunlight and Vitamin D

Featured CounterThink Cartoons

Honeybees Go on Strike


The Corn Ethanol Biofuels Sham


Meet the Hospital Staph


Health Product Companies We Recommend

Read recommendations on supplement companies, health food manufacturers and personal care product makers that you can trust. Our 100% independent review list tells you who to trust and who to avoid in the natural health industry. Click to read.
This site is part of the Natural News Network © 2008 All Rights Reserved. Privacy | Terms All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing International, LTD. is not responsible for content written by contributing authors. Truth Publishing sells no health or nutritional products and earns no money from health product manufacturers or promoters. The information on this site is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice of any kind. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. Your use of this website indicates your agreement to these terms and those published here. All trademarks, registered trademarks and servicemarks mentioned on this site are the property of their respective owners.