microrobert
05-08-2013, 01:01 PM
Bee Deaths May Have Reached A Crisis Point For Crops
According to a new survey of America's beekeepers, almost a third of the country's honeybee colonies did not make it through the winter.
That's been the case, in fact, almost every year since the US Department of Agriculture began this annual survey, six years ago.
Over the past six years, on average, 30 percent of all the honeybee colonies in the U.S. died off over the winter. The worst year was five years ago. Last year was the best: Just 22 percent of the colonies died.
"Last year gave us some hope," says Jeffrey Pettis, research leader of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Bee Research Laboratory in Beltsville, Md.
But this year, the death rate was up again: 31 percent.
http://www.opb.org/news/article/npr-bee-deaths-may-have-reached-a-crisis-point-for-crops/
According to a new survey of America's beekeepers, almost a third of the country's honeybee colonies did not make it through the winter.
That's been the case, in fact, almost every year since the US Department of Agriculture began this annual survey, six years ago.
Over the past six years, on average, 30 percent of all the honeybee colonies in the U.S. died off over the winter. The worst year was five years ago. Last year was the best: Just 22 percent of the colonies died.
"Last year gave us some hope," says Jeffrey Pettis, research leader of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Bee Research Laboratory in Beltsville, Md.
But this year, the death rate was up again: 31 percent.
http://www.opb.org/news/article/npr-bee-deaths-may-have-reached-a-crisis-point-for-crops/