From Discovery News:

Honeybees are still in the throes of a "perfect storm" of viruses, mites and more, but beekeepers are fighting back.

Chemical pesticides, viruses, mites and many other problems have unleashed "the perfect storm" against honeybee populations worldwide. But beekeepers are fighting back in a valiant attempt to stave off the disastrous bee population decline.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, honey-producing colonies have experienced a population drop of more than 60 percent in the past 60 years. The United Kingdom's honeybee population has halved in recent years, with declines also reported in the Middle East, Asia and other parts of Europe.

Aside from ecosystem issues, the problem warrants human attention because 70 percent of the crop species that feed 90 percent of all people in the world require bees for pollination.

For more, see: Beekeepers Battle 'Perfect Storm'