The University of London researchers found out that diseases carried by honeybees have started to affect bumblebees as well, placing the latter in a serious threat.
The diseases observed in the bumblebees include the parasite Nosemacerenae and the deformed wing virus (DWV). Bumblebees thriving on parts across Wales, Scotland, and England were revealed to carry such diseases.
The researchers analyzed the bumblebee population sampled from 26 sites from different areas in Great Britain and the Isle of Man, and they found that 11 percent of bumblebees are affected by DMV while seven percent are inflicted with the fungal parasite. In contrast, 35 percent of honeybees carry DMV while nine percent are suffering from the fungus.
According to the researchers, these diseases could play a role in the bumblebee's ultimate extinction, on top of the prevalent destruction of their habitats. Researchers have called upon beekeepers to ensure that their honeybees are disease-free to aid in preventing the spread of the diseases.
"We have to, at national and international levels, support management policies that enable our beekeepers to keep their bees as free of diseases as possible," said Prof. Mark Brown of the University of London to BBC News.
The researchers are also hoping to look into the role that neonicotinoid pesticides play in the spread of the diseases. A similar study included in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences claimed that these chemicals are affecting the bee's immune system, making the bees more prone to such diseases.
This study was published in the Feb. 19 issue of Nature.
