"Are Commercial Honeybees Making Wild Bees Sick?"

Question

by Berly McCoy

Everyone wants to save the bees. But as populations decline every year, we may be saving them to death.

Human efforts to breed more of these insects in artificial beehives and plant more flowers may seem the obvious way to stave off heavy losses.

New research shows the answer is not that clear cut, because viruses may be spilling over from commercial honeybee colonies into wild bee populations, according to a study from the University of Vermont published Wednesday in PLOS One.

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Question
Use the article excerpt to answer the question.

What evidence from the text best supports the inference that people have been more concerned with the health of honeybees than wild bumblebees in recent years? Select the two correct answers.

(1 point)
Responses

People are more familiar with honeybee die-offs.
People are more familiar with honeybee die-offs.

Some species of bumblebees have declined up to 96 percent locally.
Some species of bumblebees have declined up to 96 percent locally.

New research shows that honeybee diseases may be spilling over to wild bumblebees.
New research shows that honeybee diseases may be spilling over to wild bumblebees.

The causes of bumblebee die-offs have been largely understudied.
The causes of bumblebee die-offs have been largely understudied.

Bumblebee die-offs may be increasing because of efforts to save honeybees.
Bumblebee die-offs may be increasing because of efforts to save honeybees.
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Answer 1

Based on the article excerpt provided, the two correct answers that support the inference that people have been more concerned with the health of honeybees than wild bumblebees in recent years are:

1. People are more familiar with honeybee die-offs.
2. The causes of bumblebee die-offs have been largely understudied.

These choices indicate a greater focus on the issues surrounding honeybee populations while suggesting that the challenges faced by wild bumblebees have not received the same level of attention.