It's no mystery that honeybees are in danger. Now the plight of the bees has caught the attention of the President.
Bee Task Force
The White House's Pollinator Health Task Force announced a planto save honeybees and monarch butterflies, dubbed the National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators.
Outlined in the plan are ways to increase bee habitat and fund research into bee loss, such as how bees are affected by disease and pesticides.
One major concern has been about neonicotinoids, a type of pesticide widely used on crops in the U.S.
Environmental Impact
Earlier this year, the journal Nature published a studythat found bees could be drawn to the nicotine-like substance in pesticides, and the bees that were consuming the pesticides produced fewer queens.
The White House's task force, however, didn't immediately address the concern over neonicotinoids.
Environmentalists were quick to criticize the president's plan, arguing it didn't limit current use of the pesticides.