Why the Bees Died in Large Numbers
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The research paper:
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.28.656706v1.full.pdfThe popular press reporting on it:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jul/08/record-us-bee-colony-dieoffs-climate-stress-pesticides-silent-spring-aoeIt's due a bee virus that's spread through the parasitic Varroa mites. Very infectious as the virus-carrying mites can jump from bee to bee.
Beekeepers have been using a chemical called "amitraz" to control the Varroa mites. But after many years of use, the mites have become resistant to amitraz, hence the widespread dying of bees.
