Bee Virus (broadcast Friday, September 7th, 2007)

Recently, beekeepers across the country have been opening their hives to find the bees gone. While bee populations in the U. S. have been suffering in recent years from a variety of threats, including tracheal and Varroa mites, this sudden disappearance of bees from hives across the country has caught many beekeepers off guard, with no clear explanation for the AWOL insects. And no honeybees means no pollinators, a huge problem for growers. Now, researchers suggest in a paper published in the journal Science that a newly-discovered virus may be to blame. We'll talk with one of the paper's authors about the study, and what it might take to stop the decline of the honeybee. Teachers, find more information about using Science Friday as a classroom resource in the Kids' Connection.