Bee-hind the Scenes: The Hidden Impact of Parasitic Infection in Bumble Bee (Bombus spp.) populations ​

Arwaa Mehran, Margarita Orlova

Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Utica, NY, USA

Bumble bees (Bombus spp.) are vital pollinators, but their populations are declining, partly due to parasitic infections like Vairimorpha (V. bombi), which reduces colony founding success. We looked at the association between presence of ovaries and parasitic infection and tested nonlethal method of infection diagnostics.