MINNEAPOLIS  — The University of Minnesota opens a new multi-million dollar bee research facility next month.

The nearly $5 million academic research laboratory on campus in St. Paul will consolidate lab space, honey extraction, observation hive space and office space. Construction of the new lab began a year ago.

The opening of the new Bee and Pollinator Research Lab follows a recent executive order from Gov. Mark Dayton which limits certain pesticides that harm the pollinating insects that are critical to the nation’s food supply.

The recent collapse of colonies nationwide has threatened the U.S. honey bee industry.

Minnesota is the fifth largest honey producing state.