How Scientists Are Racing to Save Our Bees

April 24, 2017

From: Saveur

The honeybee, which is responsible for pollinating $15 billion of American crops, is in trouble. But a crew of crafty scientists and activists is here to help—not just our bees, but our entire food system

By Michael Snyder

****

The honeybee’s single biggest enemy in the U.S. and Europe is a parasitic mite aptly named Varroa destructor, first introduced to the United States 30 years ago, when it most likely hitched a ride from its native habitat in Southeast Asia on the back of an infected queen.

***

Because their life cycles are short, varroa mites adapt quickly to chemical treatments such as pesticides, which means scientists have had to get creative. Marla Spivak at the University of Minnesota, one of the foremost experts on bee health, has been breeding super-punctilious queen bees that keep their hives mite-free. At Purdue University in Indiana, Greg Hunt breeds aggressive ‘ankle-biting’ worker bees that snip the legs off the mites, bleeding them dry before they establish themselves in the hive.

Read Complete Article

Leave a Comment

(not required for anonymous comments)

(optional; will not be published)

Please Answer: *

Links

Submit a Post




Upload Files



Archives