Can ants be a reservoir of honey bee viruses?

Insect pollinators, especially honey bees, face significant threats and are currently declining worldwide, putting our agriculture and ecosystems at risk. Among the factors behind this decline, viruses play an important role as deadly pathogens for bees. In this project, I will explore if ants, belonging to the same group of insects as bees, could play a role as reservoirs and spreaders of bee viruses in the Netherlands. Understanding the transmission dynamics of these viruses is critical to set up efficient control measures and prevent their spread to new regions.