Species Collapse, Bees

"Bees, known for their role in pollination and, in the case of the best-known bee species, the European honey bee, for producing honey and beeswax.... They are found on every continent except Antarctica, in every habitat on the planet that contains insect-pollinated flowering plants.... However... From 1972 to 2006, feral honey bees declined dramatically in the US, and they are now almost absent. The number of colonies kept by beekeepers declined slightly, through urbanization, systematic pesticide use, tracheal and Varroa mites, and the closure of beekeeping businesses. In 2006 and 2007 the rate of attrition increased, and was described as colony collapse disorder."