"Are Commercial Honeybees Making Wild Bees Sick?"

Question

by Berly McCoy

All of the honeybee colonies tested by the researchers were positive for both viruses, an unfortunate but common occurrence for commercial colonies.

But the number of wild bumblebees carrying viruses varied depending on the proximity to the domesticated hives. There was also variation between the two viruses.

More than 90 percent of bumblebees collected close to apiaries carried black queen cell virus. In sites farther from apiaries, and where no honeybees were foraging, just under 40 percent were positive for this virus. When the researchers checked for actual infections, they found that the proximity to an apiary wasn’t telling of whether a bumblebee was infected with black queen cell virus. That means sites near and far from a commercial beehive had the same abundance of black queen cell virus infections.

The connection was clearer for deformed wing virus infections. Twenty percent of bumblebees foraging close to apiaries carried the virus on their outsides and 10 percent had active infections. But in sites more than a half mile away from an apiary, where honeybees were absent, not a single bumblebee tested positive for deformed wing virus — as a carrier or with an infection.

When the researchers looked at infected flowers, they noticed a similar trend. Of the 20 percent of flowers that tested positive for viruses, all were picked close to apiaries. And the denser the flower patch in these areas, the higher the rate of deformed wing virus infection in bumblebees.

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Question
Use the article excerpt to answer the question.

The author claimed the connection between bumblebee infections and proximity to apiaries was clearer for the deformed wing virus than the black queen cell virus.

What evidence from the text supports this analysis? Select the two correct answers.

(1 point)
Responses

No bumblebees foraging over a half mile away from apiaries were infected with deformed wing virus.
No bumblebees foraging over a half mile away from apiaries were infected with deformed wing virus.

More than ninety percent of bumblebees collected close to apiaries were infected with black queen cell virus.
More than ninety percent of bumblebees collected close to apiaries were infected with black queen cell virus.

Areas with denser flower patches near apiaries showed higher rates of deformed wing virus infection in bumblebees.
Areas with denser flower patches near apiaries showed higher rates of deformed wing virus infection in bumblebees.

Forty percent of bumblebees foraging in places with no honeybees were infected with black queen cell virus.
Forty percent of bumblebees foraging in places with no honeybees were infected with black queen cell virus.

Ten percent of bumblebees foraging close to apiaries were infected with deformed wing virus.

Answer 1

The two pieces of evidence that support the analysis that the connection between bumblebee infections and proximity to apiaries was clearer for the deformed wing virus than the black queen cell virus are:

1. No bumblebees foraging over a half mile away from apiaries were infected with deformed wing virus.
   This illustrates a clear link between the proximity to the apiaries and the infection status regarding the deformed wing virus.

2. Areas with denser flower patches near apiaries showed higher rates of deformed wing virus infection in bumblebees.
   This indicates a more consistent relationship between the presence of honeybee colonies and the levels of deformed wing virus in bumblebees, which reinforces the clarity of the connection.

These two points highlight a stronger association with the deformed wing virus in relation to the presence of commercial beehives compared to the black queen cell virus.