RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:
There's been some funny honey coming out of the northeastern region of France lately. Beekeepers there have been complaining that their hives are producing a Technicolor product - mysterious shades of blue and green. The keepers began noticing in August that their bees were returning to their hives carrying bright substances. Their investigation determined that a nearby bio-gas plant has been processing waste from a factory about 60 miles away that produces M&Ms.
While the honey may be lovely to look at, beekeepers say it's unsellable. This has added to the woes of the honey producers, who, like beekeepers around the world, have seen their bee population plummet. According to Reuters news service, the Mars Company, which makes M&Ms, has not commented. But an official from the local bio-gas plant says they're working to remedy the problem by covering the vats of offending residue in hopes that the bees steer clear. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.