Major Honeybee Die Off - Almonds Next

It looks as though the massive die off of honeybee populations here in the US is worsening. Right now nearly 1/4 professional bee keepers has reported losing as many as half their hives. This might not seem important except that honey bees are a vital link in our agricultural system. Little know but true:
- "Honeybees are arguably the insects that are most important to the human food chain. They are the principal pollinators of hundreds of fruits, vegetables, flowers and nuts."

There are literally guys who drive around the country going farm-to-farm with trucks of bee colonies for hire. And a great deal of our crop production relies on the ability of their bees to pollinate crop plants.

The gist of the article is that scientists are rushing to understand what is causing the "colony collapse disorder". If they aren't successful, and the die-offs continue, this could become a major story.