I keep bees and belong to a local beekeepers group. Every one of us in the group has had major losses of up to 50%over the past 5 years due to CCD, varroa mites, neonictinoids from pesticides, and even cell phone signals have been known to throw the bees off their game. They have recently even discovered zombie bees among beeekeepers in VT which become afflicted through fly bites. Beekeeping is tiring but rewarding profession or hobby. Billions of people depending on the honey bee for the food on their table. This die off has serious implications for every human.
By the way, the honey you buy at the supermarket is NOT honey in any way shape or form. Local honey has thousands of medicinal and nutrition applications. Honey is also the only food we consume that will NEVER spoil. Honey has been removed from jars in Egyptian crypts of Pharaohs and was still edible. Did you know that the US medical staffs in Iraq and Afghanistan use bandages soaked in honey to treat hideous burns and stop bleeding? Bees also produce propolis, a hard resin that is stronger than novocaine and often called Russian penicillin because it is used to treat hundreds of ailments by Russian farmers who could be days away from any doctor. I could go on for hours.
A bee keeper I know said mites are a big problem. He fixes that by putting menthol cough drops in the hives. Bees eat the drops for the sugar and the menthol kills the mites. Was he pulling my leg?