James said she knows the mite won't go down without a fight. Her team of entomologists at the USU Bee Lab have been finding alternatives to honeybees as pollinators, while at the same time, finding new ways to kill the Varroa mite.

Other bee species, such as the Alfalfa Leaf-cutting Bee and the Blue Orchard Bee, have shown some promise as effective pollinators. However, both species are social, yet solitary, insects who don't live together in hives but rather tubes — and they don't produce honey.

USU researches have also found that a type of green fungus has proven fatal to Varroa mite, but it has no adverse effect on bees. James said they are currently doing biogenetic tests to find a strain of green fungus that can be marketed as a treatment for mite infestation.

Cox said he is working with USU on several test hives and the results look promising. He doubts, however, that any product using the fungus will be on the market before next fall.

James said untreated hives have a 75 percent to 100 percent fatality rate but only one out of six hives treated with the fungus has died. Because a pathogen instead of a pesticide is being used, the bees are less likely to develop a resistance to the treatment, he added.

"I think beekeepers are proud to have the symbol of the beehive on the state flag," Cox said, but he added beekeepers will need help to keep the honeybee buzzing in Utah.

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