{"id":18347,"date":"2026-10-27T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/?p=18347"},"modified":"2026-10-27T14:06:24","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T19:06:24","slug":"bee-parasite-threat-detected-in-panamas-wild-orchid-bees-for-first-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/environment-wildlife\/bee-parasite-threat-detected-in-panamas-wild-orchid-bees-for-first-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Bee Parasite Threat Detected in Panama&#8217;s Wild Orchid Bees for First Time"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Scientists in Panama have detected DNA from a <a href=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/health\/beware-34-malaria-cases-found-near-merca-panama-market-overnight\/\" rel=\"internal\">harmful microorganism<\/a> known as <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nosema_ceranae\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nosema ceranae<\/a><\/strong> in wild <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Euglossini\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">orchid bees<\/a>, marking the first documented case of this <strong>bee parasite threat<\/strong> in the species <em><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Euglossa_imperialis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Euglossa imperialis<\/a><\/em>. The discovery raises new questions about how pathogens move between managed honeybee colonies and <a href=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/environment-wildlife\/marine-species-seizure-exposes-illegal-fishing-in-panama-park\/\" rel=\"internal\">native pollinators<\/a> in <a href=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/environment-wildlife\/inspiring-goal-panama-emissions-reduction-target-set-at-11-by-2035\/\" rel=\"internal\">tropical forests<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The findings come from a study published in the scientific journal <em>Environmental Entomology<\/em>, which analyzed 82 male orchid bees collected from two locations in Panama. Researchers found genetic material compatible with <em>Nosema ceranae<\/em>, a parasite primarily known for infecting honeybees, in the digestive tracts of the wild bees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/clayton-1-web-topaz-enhance-4x-2-enhanced-sr-1200x800-1.webp\" alt=\"Clayton Military Base. By Ciudad del Saber.\" class=\"wp-image-18334\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/clayton-1-web-topaz-enhance-4x-2-enhanced-sr-1200x800-1.webp 1200w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/clayton-1-web-topaz-enhance-4x-2-enhanced-sr-1200x800-1-150x100.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Researchers collected specimens from Parque Nacional Camino de Cruces and Ciudad del Saber, two sites with distinct environmental profiles. By Ciudad del Saber.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Detection Rates Vary Across Panama Locations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Researchers collected specimens from Parque Nacional Camino de Cruces and Ciudad del Saber, two sites with distinct environmental profiles. The results revealed significant differences between the locations. At Camino de Cruces, 34 of 44 bees tested positive for the parasite&#8217;s DNA, representing 77.3 percent of the sample. At Ciudad del Saber, only 12 of 38 bees showed positive results, or 31.6 percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The team, which included Gaspar Bruner-Montero from the COIBA-AIP Scientific Station and member of Panama&#8217;s National Research System, used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing to identify the genetic material. The statistical difference between sites was notable, though researchers could not determine which environmental factors drove the variation. No significant differences appeared between dry and rainy seasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"es\" dir=\"ltr\">Cient\u00edficos detectan por primera vez ADN de un par\u00e1sito en una abeja silvestre de Panam\u00e1 https:\/\/t.co\/VGSqctUFp0<\/p>&mdash; Metro Libre (@MetroLibrePTY) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/MetroLibrePTY\/status\/2114772569874112909?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 26, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Unanswered Questions About Infection Risk<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite the detection, scientists cannot yet confirm whether <em>Nosema ceranae<\/em> can reproduce inside <em>Euglossa imperialis<\/em> or whether it poses an actual health risk to these wild pollinators. The DNA could have arrived in the bees&#8217; digestive systems through contact with contaminated flowers or other shared resources, without establishing a true infection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Confirming an active infection would require additional work, including microscopic observations, complementary molecular testing, and controlled experiments. The study also did not perform sequencing to verify the PCR products, a step researchers acknowledge as necessary for future confirmation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Orchid bees, belonging to the Euglossini group, display metallic green and blue tones and play a vital role in pollinating tropical plants, including numerous orchid species. Male bees collect aromatic compounds from flowers for reproductive behavior, potentially exposing them to microorganisms present on shared floral resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/003-1-1200x800-1.webp\" alt=\"Apis mellifera by anaup.pa\" class=\"wp-image-18348\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/003-1-1200x800-1.webp 1200w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/003-1-1200x800-1-150x100.webp 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Confirming an active infection would require additional work, including microscopic observations, complementary molecular testing, and controlled experiments. Apis mellifera by anaup.pa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Broader Implications for Tropical Pollinators<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The research team also reviewed existing literature on <em>Nosema<\/em> associations across various Hymenoptera species, including bees and wasps. One hypothesis for future investigation suggests that flowers shared between wild bees and managed honeybees could serve as contact points where microorganisms transfer between species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The study contributes molecular evidence of an association never before documented in this species. While it does not prove a new disease exists in wild bees, it establishes a foundation for investigating how pathogens spread through tropical pollinator communities. Understanding these interactions grows increasingly important as bee populations face multiple pressures worldwide, from habitat loss to disease transmission from managed colonies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Scientists in Panama have detected DNA from a harmful microorganism known as Nosema ceranae in wild orchid bees, marking the first documented case of this bee parasite threat in the species Euglossa imperialis. The discovery raises new questions about how pathogens move between managed honeybee colonies and native pollinators in tropical forests. The findings come<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":18349,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[7678,7677,50,7676,7198],"class_list":["post-18347","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-environment-wildlife","tag-nosema-ceranae","tag-orchid-bees","tag-panama","tag-parasites","tag-pollinators"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18347","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18347"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18347\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18350,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18347\/revisions\/18350"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18349"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18347"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18347"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18347"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}