Black beetle virus (BBV) is a virus that was initially discovered in the North Island of New Zealand in Helensville in dead New Zealand black beetles (Heteronychus arator) in 1975.

When transmitted to wax moth larvae, it can cause paralysis; however it cannot replicate in mammalian cells like other viruses in its family.

[2] BBV comes from the family of Nodaviridae that contains nine different viruses divided into two different sub groups: Alphanodavirus and Betanodavirus.

BBV, Flock House, and nodavirus are all group IV viruses with varying abilities to infect other animals in terms of species specificity.

The virion is organized in T=3 icosahedral symmetry, meaning there are 60 triangular subunits each made up of 3 viral capsid proteins.

[4] The BBV insect virus genome is made of two mRNA molecules encapsidated in a single virion.

RNA3 is a subgenomic messenger RNA made in infected cells but not encapsidated into the original virions.

[5][6] The genome and viral messenger for (+)ssRNA noroviridae viruses is the initial virion RNA.

Typically, Nodaviridae will form an invagination within the membrane of the host cell mitochondria where it will prepare to replicate.

Peptide gamma is assumed to be released in the endosome where it disrupts the endosomal membrane allowing the new viral RNA to be released into the cytoplasm of the cell creating the new infected cell.

The virus is able to kill the host organism, and plays a key role in suppressing the population of black beetles when they verge on overpopulating.