The CBS television affiliate in Sacramento, KOVR, sent reporter Tony Lopez to a meeting at UC Davis yesterday, where UC entomologist Eric Mussen spoke about "colony collapse disorder," recent unexplained bee deaths in California. The story included a brief interview with a Woodland bee producer, who said she considered the issue an "agricultural emergency." The story also featured sound bites from Mussen.
Mussen attributed colony collapse disorder to a combination of factors -- malnutrition, viruses and chemicals, according to the report.
Lopez opened the piece saying a theory about cell phone signals being responsible has been "ruled out," but he did float another theory, that the bees are dying from a virus imported with bees from Australia.
Since everybody loves a mystery, the intriguing case of the disappearing bees is sure to continue to receive media attention.