Albert Einstein

A team of scientists at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have sequenced the genome of a parasite that can kill honey bees. The parasite, nosema ceranae, is one of many pathogens suspected of contributing to the current bee population decline that have been given the collective name, colony collapse disorder or CCD.

CCD began devastating commercial beekeeping operations, with some beekeepers reporting losses of up to 90 percent, according to the USDA. Researchers believe CCD may be the result of a combination of pathogens, parasites and stress factors, but the cause remains a mystery. At stake is the $15 billion industry of crop farming in the United States that honey bees make possible.