Hairless black bee syndrome

Signs or indications

Unhealthy looking adults with a distinctly shiny, greasy, hairless appearance. Bodies appear wet and are darker (blackish) in color.

Description

Bees with this syndrome are infected with acute or chronic bee paralysis viruses (ABPV or CBPV), appear smaller than healthy bees, are dark to black in color, and have a shiny, greasy body appearance. Nest mates are sometimes seen “nibbling” on infected individuals. Such bees are unable to fly, may tremble, and may die within a couple of days. 

Most closely resembles

ABPV; CBPV; wet bees; robbing bees

Resources

Moore, PA, Wilson ME, and Skinner JA. 2019 update. Honey Bee Viruses, the Deadly Varroa Mite Associates. Bee Health. Accessed 2023. https://bee-health.extension.org/honey-bee-viruses-the-deadly-varroa-mite-associates/

 Bees showing hairless black bee syndrome; photo courtesy Animal and Plant Health Agency, Crown Copyright, UK.
Bees showing hairless black bee syndrome; photo courtesy Animal and Plant Health Agency, Crown Copyright, UK.
 Dead hairless, black bee; photo by Robert Snyder
Dead hairless, black bee; photo by Robert Snyder