Jana Dobelmann, University of Ulm

How does the introduction of novel species affect disease communities in bees?

As disease emergence probability rises with environmental change, understanding the role of novel hosts and vectors on host-parasite dynamics is becoming crucial in managing disease. Species invasions can serve as natural experiments in which examining pathogen dynamics ahead and behind an invasion front allows us to gain insight into the mechanisms underlying the spread of disease. In honey bees, high over-winter mortality has been linked to the Deformed wing virus, which was formerly considered benign but is now re-emerging. In this presentation, I will discuss how the introduction of invasive ants in New Zealand and the global emergence of parasitic varroa mites have affected disease communities in honey bees.