A very disturbing phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder has afflicted honey bee production in the United States. A recent Congressional Research Service (CRS) report - "Recent Honey Bee Declines" states that although these declines are not unknown, the current situation is different in that:

• colony losses are occurring mostly because bees are failing to return to the hive (which is largely uncharacteristic of bee behavior)
• bee colony losses have been rapid
• colony losses are occurring in large numbers, and
  
• the reason why these losses are occurring remains still largely unknown. (p. 8)