Colony Collapse: agriculture will be in trouble without bees

The term “colony collapse disorder” might sound like something out of science fiction, but it's a growing problem with widespread economic consequences affecting one of the more beneficial insects to mankind: honeybees.

Whole colonies of honeybees have been dying off for years now, and no one seems exactly sure why. And if you think dead bees don't affect you, think again. As The New York Times notes, those bees are essential for pollinating much of America's fruit and vegetable crops.

“The Agriculture Department says a quarter of the American diet, from apples to cherries to watermelons to onions, depends on pollination by honeybees,” says The Times. “Fewer bees means smaller harvests and higher food prices.” – the MSN Money writes

(Világgazdaság Online, Braunmüller Lajos)