Army scientists at Aberdeen find bee virus

[DogPoundPup]

The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Sep 5, 2008 13:07:07 EDT

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. — Army scientists using technology designed to spot viruses on the battlefield have identified a virus infecting American honeybees.

The virus is not thought to be responsible for colony collapse disorder, which has affected bees nationwide. But the technology used to identify the virus may help find the cause of the disorder.

The Varroa destructor virus-1, or VDV-1, is not harmful to bees, but it had previously been found only in Europe. The virus was found by Army scientists in Maryland at the Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, working with researchers from the University of Montana, Bee Alert Technology and BVS Inc.

ECBC is the Army’s principal research and development center for chemical and biological defense technology.

[Bigmack]

1. This post is more important

than the number of hits it's getting would indicate....tho such lack of interest is one of the reasons that many natural systems around us are facing imminent collapse..... Oh, I forgot. "We" don't have to worry about these things as we're ABOVE and APART from nature. Ms Bigmack

[NoFederales]

2. Is there a link to this research?

NoFederales

[silverweb]

3. More information:

From the University of Montana: http://news.umt.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4741&Itemid=9

While this virus is NOT responsible for colony collapse disorder (CCD), the new technology "will be an excellent model for epidemiology.... Bees move with people, and you get the same quasi-social interactions. We will be able to study how rapidly the pathogen gets from one place to another, spreads and moves around. It’s amazing that we are getting to it while it’s still localized."

Not an answer, but a new way to help find answers.