Where Did the Bees Go?
Beginning in 2006, experts noted significant yearly declines in honey bee colonies. These declines were attributed in part to a phenomena referred to as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), an abnormal condition that occurs when the majority of worker bees in a honey bee colony disappears, leaving behind a queen, an abundant supply of food, and a few nurse bees to care for remaining immature bees. Years of research determined the decline was likely attributable to a wide range of stressors such as pests, diseases, pesticides, pollutants/toxins, nutritional deficits, habitat loss, effects of climate variability, agricultural production intensification, reduced species or genetic diversity, and pollinator or crop management practices. By focusing efforts on pollinator health, the U.S. today has about 2.8 million honey bee hives, and no incidents of CCD have been reported in several years. However, the US remains in the bottom half of countries in terms of growth, with only a 9% increase from 2007 to 2017.