Fewer Honey Bees Hurts Haagen-Daz

May 8, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO –- The number of commercially managed honey bee hives in the nation dropped 36.1 percent since last year, falling victim to new diseases, pesticide drift and parasites, according to the Apiary Inspectors of America, who promote better beekeeping conditions in North America.

This is the second year the association has measured colony death across the country. Last year’s survey found a 32 percent loss of hives. Those unsustainable levels are not improving, according to Dennis van Engelsdorp, president of the organization responsible for the survey.

"For two years in a row, we've sustained a substantial loss," van Engelsdorp said. "That's an astonishing number. Imagine if one out of every three cows, or one out of every three chickens, were dying. That would raise a lot of alarm."

The survey included 327 operators who account for 19 percent of the country's approximately 2.44 million commercially managed bee hives. About 29 percent of the deaths were due to Colony Collapse Disorder, a mysterious disease that causes adult bees to abandon their hives.

"What's frightening about CCD is that it's not predictable or understood," van Engelsdorp said.

Pennsylvania's Agriculture Secretary Dennis Wolff announced yesterday that the state would pour an additional $20,400 into research at Pennsylvania State University looking for the causes of CCD. This raises emergency funds dedicated to investigating the disease to $86,000.

The issue also has attracted federal grants and funding from companies that depend on honey bees, including ice-cream maker Haagen-Dazs. The berries, fruits and nuts that give about 28 of Haagen-Daazs' varieties flavor depend on honey bees for pollination, thus the company is donating up to $250,000 to CCD and sustainable pollination research at Penn State and the University of California, Davis.

Farmers estimate that nearly one third of the nation’s food is pollinated by bees. With colonies in rapid decline, there is concern about the need for alternative pollination options.

Tell us what you think about “Fewer Honey Bees Hurts Haagen-Daz” below. Share your favorite videos by clicking on the ZootooTV tab. Send us your story ideas by e-mailing us at news@zootoo.com or by calling us at 877-777-4204.