> "This winter (we experienced) the largest die-off of bees ever in the history of the United States," [Darren Cox] the fourth-generation beekeeper told The Herald Journal of Logan. "We've had historic die-offs in the past, but we've never had a stress factor like this." Since it was recognized in 2006, colony collapse disorder has destroyed colonies at a rate of about 30 percent a year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

http://www.wunderground.com/news/honey-bee-colony-collapse-20130408

This is extremely interesting, because the data on bees losses this winter are just now being collected. As far as "in the history of the United States", stats weren't collected before the 1900s, so who knows? CCD = 30% is wrong too. Estimates are that CCD could account for at most 4% of previous die offs. That is, if you can account for anything with an unknown disorder.

PLB

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