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Vairimorpha

In early 2020, a genetic analysis revealed that the fungal species infecting honeybees which are commonly called Nosema are actually members of the genus Vairimorpha. Thusly, they have been renamed:

Overview

Vairimorpha is a fungal disease which affects the digestive system of adult bees.

• It is very common throughout the world.
• It is not a major cause of honey bee colony losses in the USA; other nutritional causes are more likely.

Vairimorpha apis (previously known as Nosema apis) was first discovered in the early 1900s and for a long time, it was the only Vairimorpha species infecting Apis mellifera.

• In 1996, Vairimorpha ceranae (previously known as Nosema ceranae) was discovered to be infecting the Asian honey bee, Apis cerana.
• Ten years later in Spain, the Vairimorpha ceranae infection was observed in Apis mellifera. (Older samples confirmed that it crossed over to Apis mellifera in the late 1970s.)

Vairimorpha ceranae can infect a number of bee species:

Vairimorpha ceranae has increased in prevalence worldwide, and the documented cases in North American show that it outcompetes Vairimorpha apis over 99% of the time.

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