Pence’s wife brings 15,000 bees to the vice presidential home in Washington

Vice President Mike Pence’s wife, Karen, has installed a beehive on the grounds of their government residence in Washington.

She says honey bees play an important role in agricultural production in the United States.

She says one out of every three bites of food consumed in the U.S. are made possible with the help of pollinators such as bees, butterflies, birds and bats. But managed bee colonies are in decline, posing a challenge to agricultural production.

The Pence’s beehive has 15,000 to 20,000 honey bees, including the queen bee.

She says honey the bees produce will be given away as gifts.

Former first lady Michelle Obama included a beehive with the garden she started on the White House South Lawn in 2009.

This story was originally published June 6, 2017 at 1:50 PM with the headline "Pence’s wife brings 15,000 bees to the vice presidential home in Washington."