The diseases causing domesticated honeybees colony collapse are now threatening the population of wild bumblebees across the world. The study published Wednesday in the Journal Nature helped researchers in understanding the reason for decline in the number of both wild and captive bees.

Bumblebee population is facing threat from two common diseases of bees: deformed wing virus (DWV) and the fungal parasite, Nosema ceranae, said researchers from the Royal Holloway University of London.

Dr. Matthias Fürst, from the Royal Holloway University of London, said that honeybees contribute to pollination of 80% of our flowering plant species and 35% of crops. The bumblebees also provide significant portion of the world’s pollination of flowers and food.

On analyzing 750 bees in 26 sited throughout Great Britain, researchers found that the DWV virus is not only affecting bumblebee’s population, but is also replicating inside them. Although general lifespan of a bumblebee is 21 days, but lifespan of infected bumblebees has been reported only 15 days, said Prof. Mark Brown, Royal Holloway University of London.

Brown said that 75% of the world’s food crops are pollinated by honeybees contributing to $200 billion of the global economy. They claim that there is urgent need to lessen the threat of emerging diseases to both wild and managed bees.