Honeybees Decline Sharply in U.S. March 8, 2007 -- Across the
United States, beekeepers are reporting a loss of 30 percent to
more than 70 percent of overall beehives. Experts are calling it
“colony collapse disorder,” in which bees have started leaving
their hives in droves, never to return. They think the
phenomenon is tied to recent stresses on the bees. An effort to
raise more efficient bees that need shorter off-seasons has
lowered the insects' immunity to viruses, while bees and their
hives have experienced infestations of parasitic mites and a
fungal pathogen. In addition, beekeepers say it is getting
harder to find areas that can properly support bees during the
pollination season. Researchers believe these problems are
compromising the health and size of honeybee populations.
Honeybees play a critical role in spreading pollen so plant
fertilization can occur. Pollination is necessary for the
production of most fruits and vegetables we eat and many crops
on which livestock rely. As a result of the bee