Is this the Cause of World Honey Bees Collapsing?

California - Scientists discover new virus that attacks honey bees. These instructions may help scientists understand why the honey bee colonies collapsing world.

According to the journal PLoS One, two new viruses named Lake Sinai 1 & 2 can reproduce themselves in the bee's body. In studies conducted over 10 months, the researchers also found, the virus spreads in honey bees in the summer months.

"This finding is one way of studying insect viruses and add information about the health of honey bees," said Executive Director of Project Apis Christi Heintz.

"It seems this virus is the cause of reduction in bee populations,” added the professor of biochemistry and biophysics Joseph DeRisi at the University of California, San Francisco's.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture United States (U.S.), honey bees needed to pollinate 130 different crops. Also, thanks to honey bees, the U.S. make a profit of more than U.S. $ 15 billion (Rp128 trillion) per year.

Since 2006, the honeybee population dropped drastically due to Colony Collapse Disorder, a mysterious syndrome killer of millions of bees.

The UN report in March said the death of honeybee colonies in the world may be due to decreased rates of plant species, air pollution, and insecticides.