“A third of all bee colonies have died each year since 2006 [from CCD], on average, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.”

Colony Collapse Disorder, a mysterious malady that wipes out populations of honeybees often leaving behind no physical evidence of their demise. Honeybees are believed to succumb to CCD as a result of a multitude of stressors coming together to weaken the immune system of the bee and ultimately leading to their death.

“Varroa mites have devastated U.S. beehives since the late 1980s, when they arrived here from Asia. In 1996, half of the colonies east of the Mississippi River died due to mite infestations.”

Two researchers at Washington State University, mycologist, Paul Stamets and entomologist, Steve Sheppard, are experimenting with certain species of wild mushrooms to combat one of the biggest of the bee stressors: the varroa mite. And according to their report, they are experiencing some success.

Check out the video above and this post on NPR that provides the story: Could A Mushroom Save The Honeybee?