New research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service sheds light on the causes behind the catastrophic honey bee colony losses reported by commercial beekeepers earlier this year. The findings point to alarmingly high levels of viral infections -- vectored by Varroa destructor (Varroa) mites with resistant genes to a common treatment -- as key drivers of colony collapse.
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Matt Mulica is a senior project director at Keystone Policy Center, which facilitates the Honey Bee Health Coalition. The Honey Bee Health Coalition is a project of the Keystone Policy Center, a nationally recognized nonprofit that brings together diverse stakeholders to find collaborative, actionable solutions to public policy challenges.
