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Virus-Infected Bee Queens Spark Colony Instability, Researchers Warn

11/24/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Scientists at the University of British Columbia report viral infections in honey bee queens trigger supersedure by workers, destabilizing colonies.
Infected queens produce less methyl oleate, a key pheromone, prompting workers to replace the queen.
The finding matters for beekeepers and food systems by linking queen health to colony stability.
Researchers propose synthetic pheromones with methyl oleate to reduce queen replacement and improve varroa mite management to limit virus spread.

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Story summary

Scientists at the University of British Columbia report viral infections in honey bee queens trigger supersedure by workers, destabilizing colonies.
Infected queens produce less methyl oleate, a key pheromone, prompting workers to replace the queen.
The finding matters for beekeepers and food systems by linking queen health to colony stability.
Researchers propose synthetic pheromones with methyl oleate to reduce queen replacement and improve varroa mite management to limit virus spread.