There is some evidence that viruses are involved in colony collapse disorder, a phenomenon in which worker bees disappear. This condition is receiving a great deal of attention ranging from basic scientific research (summarized on TWiV 46) to a PBS episode to a documentary entitled 'Colony' which says that “The unexplainable phenomenon known as Colony Collapse Disorder has left landscapes of empty beehives all across America, threatening not only the beekeeping industry but our food supply.” From my view as a virologist, there is no compelling evidence for a single viral etiology in colony collapse disorder. I asked Tom, a honeybee breeder in California, whether he thinks that there is a pandemic that will wipe out the world’s honeybees.
