"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.

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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

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

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.

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.

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.

Answer 1

The two correct answers that support the analysis regarding the connection between bumblebee infections and proximity to apiaries being clearer for the deformed wing virus are:

1. No bumblebees foraging over a half mile away from apiaries were infected with deformed wing virus.
2. Areas with denser flower patches near apiaries showed higher rates of deformed wing virus infection in bumblebees.

These responses indicate a clearer association between the infection rates of deformed wing virus and the proximity to apiaries compared to the black queen cell virus, which showed less consistent results based on the distance from the hives.