BEE VIRUSES IN VESPA VELUTINA

Globalization favors the prevalence and spread, of many species playing an important role in the global spread of pathogens. Vespidae species are among the most successful invasive animals and prove to be an environmental concern. In recent years, it has been shown that honey bee viruses can infect other hosts, such as the Vespidae species, causing a spillover effect in the associated ecosystems. When some of these species become established, they change pathogenicity balances and alter the predator-prey interaction, changing the defense strategies of the native host species. One of the most relentless examples of the spread of invasive vespid species in Europe is Vespa velutina. The arrival in 2004 had a strong impact in beekeeping sector causing significant hive losses. The interaction between this hornet and the honey bee is an increasingly demonstrated factor in the transmission of viruses, affecting the health and strength of the colony. In V. velutina, the presence of replicative forms of 10 bee virus with different variants has already been confirmed in several countries (Dalmon et al., 2019; Marzoli et al., 2021; Yang et al., 2020). This work compiles the types of viruses that have been detected in V. velutina, as a consequence of its interaction with honey bees, and provides new replicative forms in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. Thus, the replicative forms of DWV and LSV were identified for the first time in individuals of V. velutina. The impact of V. velutina in the propagation of these viruses could help to better understand the incidence of viruses mediated diseases in honey bee colonies in the infected areas and to be an instrument in the development of strategic management plans. Keywords: Vespa velutina, Beekeeping, Bee virus