NYC Bees Turn Red From Cherry Juice
NEW YORK (AP) -- A bunch of Brooklyn bees have been coming home looking flushed.
New York City beekeeper Cerise Mayo was puzzled when her bees started showing up with mysterious red coloring. Then a friend jokingly remarked that maybe they were feeding on the nectar at Dell's Maraschino Cherries Company in Red Hook, Brooklyn.
Mayo raises bees in Red Hook and Governor's Island.
Red samples from the bees confirmed they were riddled with Red Dye No. 40 -- the same food coloring found in the juice. And bee expert Andrew Cote said bees seen around the factory were probably feasting on its runoff.
The solution? Put up some screens or provide a closer source of sweet nectar.
The beekeeper's name is appropos. Cerise means cherry in French.
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