A recent survey conducted by the Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that honey bee colonies continue to decline in numbers.
About 26 percent of apiaries surveyed reported that some of their colonies died of colony collapse disorder (CCD), down from 36 percent of apiaries in 2007-2008. CCD is characterized by the sudden, complete absence of honey bees in a colony. The cause of CCD is still unknown.