Declining bee populations -- when do we declare the crisis?

Water woes are one problem, and the persistent decline in honeybees is another. The United States had a cold winter during a warm year (globally), and this hurt honeybees, who don't need the hurting right now.

Scientists stumped as bee populations decline further

"Data from the US Department of Agriculture show a 29 percent drop in beehives in 2009, following a 36 percent decline in 2008 and a 32 percent fall in 2007."

This last part sums up the vicious cycle we're in:

The best thing to help bees, he said its "to try to limit habitat destruction," leaving more natural areas in agriculture and in cities such so honey bees can have "a diverse natural environment."

Ironically, he said the problem stems from expansion of agriculture to feed the world. But in destroying bee populations, that can hurt crop production.

"The world population growth is in a sense the reason for pollinators' decline," he said.

"Because we need to produce more and more food to feed the world and we grow crops in larger fields. A growing world means growing more food and to do that we need pollinators. And the fact that the world is continuing to grow is the driving force behind the habitat destruction."

There's that P-word again.

Another perspective:

Helping Honeybees: Pesticides make it a tough time for pollinators

And Washington Post detailed a dangerous cycle that has started as commercial bee hive numbers have dropped---the remaining beekeepers are trying to pick up the slack with fewer bees. And the results aren’t pretty. Nationally, commercial beekeepers are reporting 30-50% bee losses over the winter. And in some cases, CCD has struck and taken out over 80% of some beekeepers’ bees. And that means fewer bees to pollinate crops this year.

I hope this gets figured out, and we do somethng to save the bees. I like almonds!