Why are honeybees disappearing ?

I met with Dave Hackenberg in Sacramento early January 2008.

Profile of Dave Hackenberg.

(Profile Information taken from his webpage: www.hackenbergapiaries.com

David Hackenberg started Hackenberg Apiaries in 1962 as a Vo-Ag project at Mifflinburg High School in Pennsylvania. Today, he and his son operate approximately 3,000 hives of bees in 5 states for pollination and honey. Hackenberg Apiaries does approximately 7,500 pollination rentals each year, pollinating apples, blueberries, cantaloupes, pumpkins, and cranberries, as well as other fruits and vegetables. Most of the honey produced is sold to commercial honey packers. Hackenberg Apiaries is based out of Lewisburg, PA, with winter headquarters in Dade City, FL. David has served as President of the American Beekeeping Federation and currently sits on the National Honey Board as the producer representative for region 7, representing 18 states in the eastern United States. David also sits on numerous bee research committees across the United States.

One of Pennsylvania's biggest commercial beekeepers, Dave Hackenberg, of Lewisburg, Union County, found in mid-November he had lost about half of the 2,700 colonies he manages. Hackenberg, whose bees pollinate summer blueberries in Maine and oranges in Florida, said he knows at least six other beekeepers from Wisconsin to California who have experienced similar losses.

WATCH THE FOLLOWING VIDEOS ON THE LINK PROVIDED:

WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE BEES?

DISAPPEARED

120 STINGS A DAY

BIG TIME BEEKEPPING

THE MYSTERY




http://60minutes.yahoo.com/segment/105/bees?comment_offset=141