Reduction in Bees
From 1972 to 2006, there was a dramatic reduction in the number of feral honeybees in the U.S. (now almost absent) and a significant, though somewhat gradual decline in the number of colonies maintained by beekeepers. This decline includes the cumulative losses from all factors such as:
- Commercial Beekeepers Retiring and Going out of Business
- Pesticide Use
- Tracheal and Varroa Mites
- Urbanization
Rate of Attrition
However, late in the year 2006 and in early 2007 the rate of attrition was alleged to have reached new proportions, and the term "colony collapse disorder" was proposed to describe this sudden rash of disappearances. (Wikipedia)
Additional Information