Climate Changed
Honeybees May Be Dying in Larger Numbers Due to Climate Change
- Commercial hives fare better as mortality rises to 40 percent
- Colony Collapse Disorder fades as mites, weather are culprits
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Beekeepers in the U.S. reported an increase in honeybee deaths over the last year, possibly the result of erratic weather patterns brought on by a changing climate, according to the scientist leading an annual survey on the insects.
U.S. beekeepers said 40 percent of their hives, also called colonies, died unexpectedly during the year that ended March 31, according to a survey released Wednesday by researchers from Auburn University and the University of Maryland. That’s up from 33 percent a year earlier.