The disease killing off America’s bees may finally be about to smash into the mainstream: it’s about to start taking some ice creams off the menu. At least according to Haagen-Dazs, the ice cream firm with the made up name, which is putting $250,000 into studying the problem.

So-called Colony Collapse Disorder has been something of a mystery since bees started dying in 2006 (see Nature). Honey bees pollinate a huge number of crops and the ice-cream company says 40% of its flavors use ingredients in some way dependent on the insects, such as wild berries, pecan nuts and pears (press release).

“Honey bee health and sustainable pollination is a major issue facing American agriculture that is threatening our food supply and endangering our natural environment,” said Diana Cox-Foster, a bee researcher at Penn State (Haagen-Dazs press release).

Penn State will get $150,000 from the ice-cream firm that will go towards equipment for processing of samples and molecular detection and identification of viruses and pesticides (Penn State press release). UC Davis is getting $100,000 from the firm.

“Honey bees are in trouble. One-third of our nation’s food supply depends on bee pollination, but bees are vanishing in massive numbers,” says Walter Leal, chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology (UCD press release).

From the firm’s point of view this is a no-brainer. Free publicity (see news coverage below) and, best of all, it might not actually cost them a dime. The cash for the donations will come from a portion of the sales of a new bee related flavor, Vanilla Honey Bee, and special bee branded packs.

News coverage

Disappearing bees threaten ice cream sellers – CNN

Funds for research into death of bees – Financial Times (subscription required)

Bees work for Häagen-Dazs, so it returns favor – Palm Beach Post

Image top: honey bees on hive / Greg Grieco, Penn State.

Image bottom: bee processing in lab / Greg Grieco, Penn State.