Theses and Dissertations

ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4745-3184

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Amiri, Esmaeil

Committee Member

Harris, Jeffrey

Committee Member

Sabanadzovic, Sead

Committee Member

Simone-Finstrom, Michael

Date of Degree

12-12-2025

Original embargo terms

Visible MSU Only 1 year

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Campus Access Only

Major

Agricultural Life Sciences (Entomology)

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Department

Department of Agricultural Science and Plant Protection

Abstract

Viruses negatively impact the health of honey bee queens; however, their transmission dynamics in commercial queen production operations remain poorly understood. This study offers a comprehensive analysis of viral infection dynamics, transmission routes, and physiological stress responses in queens during developmental, mating, and storage phases. By combining field surveys and controlled experiments, we demonstrate that multiple viruses—particularly DWV-B, BQCV, and LSVs—are widespread and transmitted through vertical, horizontal, and sexual pathways. Mating and banking were identified as key periods of viral exposure and physiological stress. Although viral loads did not follow a consistent pattern during banking, the immune and oxidative stress responses decreased over time, indicating that queens mainly experienced stress from storage conditions rather than from virus infection. Overall, these findings improve understanding of how viruses and management stressors interact to shape queen health, highlighting the need for better practices to enhance queen quality and colony resilience.

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