US honeybee deaths are on the rise as a result of colony collapse disorder. A startling survey released this past Tuesday revealed that 36.1 percent of the nation’s commercially managed hives have been lost since last year.

The survey, which was commissioned by Apiary Inspectors of America, showed that 29% of the deaths were directly related to colony collapse disorder (CCD), a mysterious disease that causes bees to abandon their hives. The other 7.1% are attributed to new diseases, pesticide drift, and parasitic varroa mites. Although this is only the second survey conducted (last year’s showed a percentage of 32%), the results are clear – bees are dying at unsustainable levels and things aren’t improving.

“For two years in a row, we’ve sustained a substantial loss,” said Dennis vanEngelsdorp, president of Apiary Inspectors of America 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.”

Pennsylvania’s Agriculture Secretary announced this week that the state would contribute an additional $20,400 toward research into CCD. The issue has also attracted federal grants, as well as support from corporations like Haagen-Dazs, who depend on bees for their products.

and learn more about CCD from the PBS video above. You can also at burtsbees.com and sign up to receive free wildflower seeds to plant, which will attract honeybees to your area of the world.

Related:

• Help The Honeybees
• More Commercial Bee Colonies Lost
• Bee Thieves Putting Sting on Beekeeping