Scientists at Washington State University hope to open up a "bee sperm bank" that will create a "super bee" which will be immune to colony collapse disorder, Nature World News reported.
There has been a long history of bee-related concerns in the U.S. In 1922, tracheal mites were killing bees on the English Isle of Wight. In response the U.S. placed harsh restrictions on the importation of live honeybees until 1984.
After honeybees were allowed to be imported again, a new mite, called the Varroa mite, was unintentionally imported as well.
"The Varroa mite feeds on the developing bees, or brood, and also introduces bacteria and viruses that damage the health of the hive," said Susan Cobey, a WSU research associate who is working on the project.
Cobey said the mites are capable of killing off entire colonies of bees in only two years if there is no human intervention.
Professor of etymology Steve Sheppard who is leading the project claimed that even with human intervention, the bees can still suffer. chemical miticides, used to kill the parasites, can build up in the bee's hive if used for too long, which could cause harm.
The creation of the super bee is difficult because entomologists only have a limited gene pool to work with due to the past honeybee ban that kept imported bees out for so long.
The USDA granted WSU a permit in 2008 that allowed them to import honeybee sperm, as long as it was screened for harmful pathogens.
Scientists chose to import bee sperm from Italy, because the bee's there reproduce quickly and are resistant to cold.
Researchers have also been collecting bee semen from eastern Alps, and mountains in Georgia. They plan on mixing the strongest bees from Europe with those from the U.S. to create the super bee.
