Another cause of bee colony decline?

A parasite common to Asiatic bees, microsporidian fungus called Nosema ceranae, has been found in European honeybee larvae for the first time.  It has been documented in the adult European bees for  decades, but this is the first time it has been documented in the larvae. The fungus can be found within healthy colonies, but can contribute to colony collapse disorder if the colony becomes stressed by other factors, such as bad weather, poor nutrition, or poor egg-laying by the queen.  There are fungicides which can be used to treat infected honeybees, but it may come back by interaction with other infected colonies or by adults with low resistance to the fungus.

Honey bee (Apis mellifera) by Robert W. Matthews, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

Source Article: Tiny parasite may contribute to declines in honey bee colonies by infecting larvae
Honey bee images: Apis mellifera