I am an entomologist who keeps bees. I experienced Colony Collapse Disorder, as did many beekeepeers in the Netherlands, last year. Nosema, Varroa mite etc. are not new problems for beekeepers. I wonder if certain pesticides are not the trigger for colony collapse. Two years ago, beekeepers in France sounded the alarm about the use of a particular pesticide that correlated with tremendous losses of bees. Correlation is not cause, yet suspicion remains that pesticides are causing many  indirect and harmful effects to nature.

It may not be that simple to point to one factor as causing the spectacular decline in bee populations but we can be sure of one thing. Pesticides, just like war, are not good for honeybees and other living things.    carolina garciaw 

"Wiping out bees" is a bit strong. It is certainly true that Colony Collapse Disorder will have an effect on pollination and agriculture. For many years, we kept out cheaper Chinese honey to protect U.S beekeepers with a subsidy of $200,000 annually. This supported the minimal income of beekeepers and allowed them to provide pollination services. Thanks to the elimination of this subsidy, many smaller beekeepers and hobbyists stopped bee-keeping several years ago. This contributed substantially to a decline in bees available for pollination, but the "free-traders" of the United States  didn't care then.  Their mantra is "no subsidies". Carol Waddington

I am a big fan of bees, always have been. I think they are truly underappreciated and that's probably because people doesn't realize how important bees are to agriculture.Anyway, I am not an entomologist, just a biologist, but I don't get the connection between pesticides and fungal infections? If you kill the bees with a pesticide how can they develop a fungus?Just curious.....

I am a big fan of bees, always have been. I think they are truly underappreciated and that's probably because people doesn't realize how important bees are to agriculture.Anyway, I am not an entomologist, just a biologist, but I don't get the connection between pesticides and fungal infections? If you kill the bees with a pesticide how can they develop a fungus?Just curious.....