Bee populations, both wild and commercialised, are in decline globally. Current research is largely focused on trying to identify the causes of decline (called colony collapse disorder in the US). The main areas under investigation are bee parasites (most particularly the varroa destructor mite), use of pesticides and the build-up of toxins in the foraging environment, loss of biodiversity and foraging rich environments, spread of the Africanised honey bee (in the US), and extremes of weather associated with changing climates. Work is being done in gene manipulation of honey bees to protect them from mites, as well as research into alternative pollinators that can be used should bee populations fail catastrophically.
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