Journal of Invertebrate Patholo Journal ofAbstract

ic Microsporidia are obligately intracellular organisms that are common parasites of insects and other inverte-brates (Larsson, 1986). The western honey bee, Apis melli-transported throughout the world for beekeeping purposes from its native range in Europe, Africa and the Near East (Ruttner, 1988). Associated with it throughout its former and its expanded global range is the microsporidian, Nosema apis (Fig. 1, see also Matheson, 1993). It is a parasite of the ventriculus of adult honey bees that i