San Francisco students help save bees after population declines

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Thursday, April 13, 2017
Bees are seen at Visitacion Valley Middle School in San Francisco, Calif. on Wednesday, April 12, 2017.
Bees are seen at Visitacion Valley Middle School in San Francisco, Calif. on Wednesday, April 12, 2017.
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SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- The bee population is declining around the world, threatening food crops and our ecosystem, so some students at Visitacion Valley Middle School in San Francisco are trying to help save them.

The school recently installed two beehives on its roof and are now learning about the life cycle of bees, and how they pollinate crops.

A student named Noah Degroat told ABC7 News he's amazed by the tiny insects. "They're like a big brother, like a little brother, big brother. So, they help you out if you're down. They're like a ride or die, they just help you out," he said

Last month, the rusty patched bumble bee became the first bee in the U.S. to be federally protected under the Endangered Species Act.