Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is a phenomenon in which worker bees from a European honey bee colony abruptly disappear. While such disappearances have occurred throughout the history of apiculture, and were known by various names (disappearing disease, spring dwindle, May disease, autumn collapse, and fall dwindle disease),[1] the syndrome was renamed colony collapse disorder in late 2006[2] in conjunction with a drastic rise in the number of disappearances of Western honeybee colonies in North America.[3] European beekeepers observed similar phenomena in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain,[4] and initial reports have also come in from Switzerland and Germany, albeit to a lesser degree[5] while the Northern Ireland Assembly received reports of a decline greater than 50%.[6]
Colony collapse is significant economically because many agricultural crops worldwide are pollinated by European honey bees. According to the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Department of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the worth of global crops with honeybee’s pollination was estimated to be close to $200 billion in 2005.[7] Shortages of bees in the US have increased the cost to farmers renting them for pollination services by up to 20%.[8]
The mechanisms of CCD and the reasons for its increasing prevalence remain unclear, but many possible causes have been proposed: pesticides, primarily neonicotinoids; infections with Varroa and Acarapis mites; malnutrition; various pathogens; genetic factors; immunodeficiencies; loss of habitat; changing beekeeping practices; or a combination of factors.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colony_collapse_disorder
It’s a shame. This is a real serious factual problem that some of our best AG scientist are working on. But government has created so much mistrust by crying wolf for Gorebull Warming etc that many are skeptical. The government needs to step back and let the so far unbiased scientist and researchers figure out the cause. If the government steps in the research will immediately be focused mainly on how many researchers and the bees themselves are gay, bi-sexual, minority, etc.
The major problem for the bees is varroa mites.
Another “global warming” scam. There’s not enough evidence to support the bee decline as man-made vs. natural cyclical bee colony loss.
“More research is needed. Appropriate $xxx,xxx,xxx,xxx so I can buy my private Bee-757”.