More on Honey Bee Research

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Bees are vitally important to agriculture and a researcher in a nearby state is working hard to improve the future outlook for honey bees. Sabrina Hill reports.
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Steve Sheppard of Washington State University explains efforts to build a gene bank for honeybees to help build populations domestically and worldwide.

He says building up the gene pool is one way to build up populations in decline. He also says genetic materials can now be used to strengthen the resilience and diversity of honeybee populations against threats like disease and pests.

In a report released earlier this year, disease and pests were two of several causes researchers found for honeybee decline. The need for greater genetic diversity was also listed in the report.

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