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Colony Collapse Disorder

THE COLLAPSE OF HONEYBEE COLONIES ACROSS AMERICA HAS SCIENTISTS LOOKING TO RESTORE HOPE TO THE HIVE. WE’LL HAVE THE LATEST BUZZ ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.

JEFF PETTIS OF THE U-S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BEE RESEARCH LAB SAYS THAT THIRTY PERCENT OF OUR MANAGED HONEYBEES DISAPPEARED LAST YEAR.  HIS TEAM IS STILL TRYING TO TRACK DOWN THE EXACT CAUSE… OR CAUSES.  PETTIS SAYS MULTIPLE AND ADDITIVE FACTORS MAY BE PLAYING A ROLE.

PETTIS: IT COULD BE VARROA MITES AND PESTICIDE EXPOSURE. OR CERTAINLY VARROA MITES AND VIRUSES; WE KNOW THERE’S AN INTERACTION THERE.

WHILE THE RESEARCH CONTINUES, BEEKEEPERS ARE DOING THEIR BEST TO MANAGE SURVIVING POPULATIONS AND TO BATTLE THE VARROA MITE – A COMMON BEE PARASITE.

PETTIS: THE BEEKEEPERS ARE VERY RESOURCEFUL. THEY ARE DOING WHAT THEY CAN. WE STILL COME AWAY SOMETIMES SCRATCHING OUR HEADS, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THEY’VE DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT AND YET THEY’RE STILL LOSING BEES.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

Learn more about Colony Collapse Disorder and what you can do to help from the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign.

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