Oregon Public Broadcasting

Washington researchers have found two probable suspects behind a mysterious malady affecting honeybees.

The deadly phenomenon is called colony collapse disorder.

Finding a solution is important to Northwest beekeepers and farmers who rent beehives to pollinate orchards and crops. Correspondent Tom Banse reports.

Industry associations estimate Northwest beekeepers sustained colony losses around 30 percent through the winter. That's bad.

What's good is that a research team at Washington State University is closing in on the causes behind colony collapse disorder.

Entomologist Steve Sheppard pinpoints two likely suspects.

One is a new fungal infection. The other is high levels of herbicide, fungicide, and insecticide residues in honeycombs -- combs that are many years old.

Steve Sheppard: “We always knew that wax was a place where things can accumulate. We were caught a little bit by surprise at the extent to which the material can accumulate in the wax.”

Sheppard is now advising beekeepers to replace the brood combs inside beehives on a regular cycle, even though that's expensive to do.

He says an antibiotic exists for the newly discovered fungal infection, but it's not yet known when to give it to the bees.

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