honey bee

Winters can be tough on managed honey bee colonies, with beekeepers in the United States reporting that one-third of their colonies die each winter.

For the study, the researchers used data from an annual survey on winter honey bee colony loss and beekeeping management that has been sent to Pennsylvania beekeepers each spring for more than 15 years.

"This study, along with others from Penn State, shows that the weather conditions during the growing season are really important for honey bee survival and honey production, as well as wild bee species abundance," Grozinger said.

The past attempts of honey bee researchers to inventory the fungal diversity in honey bee colonies revealed that Aspergillus flavus is frequently found in hives.

The western honey bee, Apis mellifera, stores large quantities of food in the form of bee bread, which is used as a main food source for the hive.