Most viruses occur without visible indications. Exceptions are sacbrood virus of brood, deformed wing virus (DWV) of adults, acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), and chronic bee paralysis virus. See individual fact sheets for signs or indications.
Bee colonies with high viral infections, such as Kashmir bee virus, Israeli acute paralysis virus, ABPV, and DWV, may exhibit the sign of adult bees unable to fly. Adults with high viral infections may tremble, display erratic or stumbling movement, gather under inner cover, climb vegetation in front of the colony entrance but then not be able to launch into the air, or may be greasy or sickly in appearance. DWV causes wing and abdominal deformities in the adult honey bee, making them incapable of flight.
Grozinger C, Underwood R, and Lόpez-Uribe M. 2020. Viruses in Honey Bees. PennState Extension. Accessed 2023. https://extension.psu.edu/viruses-in-honey-bees
Beekeeping Resources n.d. Viral Diseases. University of Georgia Bee Program. Accessed 2023. https://bees.caes.uga.edu/beekeeping-resources/honey-bee-disorders/honey-bee-disorders-viral-diseases.html
Tantillo G, et al. 2015. Virus Infections of Honey Bees Apis mellifera. Italian Journal of Food Safety 4(3): 5364. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5076640/
