Colony Collapse Disorder

Colony Collapse Disorder (pronunciation: /ˈkɒləni kəˈlæps dɪsˈɔːdər/) is a phenomenon that occurs when the majority of worker bees in a colony disappear, leaving behind a queen, plenty of food, and a few nurse bees to care for the remaining immature bees and the queen.

Etymology

The term "Colony Collapse Disorder" was first coined in 2006 by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to describe a set of specific symptoms and behaviors on honey bee colonies.

Symptoms

The primary symptom of Colony Collapse Disorder is the sudden disappearance of most of the bees in a colony, leaving behind the queen and a small number of nurse bees. Other symptoms include the presence of immature bees and a small cluster of bees, if any, with live bees. There are no dead bee bodies, the bees are simply gone.

Causes

The exact cause of Colony Collapse Disorder is unknown, but many factors have been proposed, including pesticides, mites, viruses, and other pathogens. Other proposed causes include changes in the environment or the bees' diet, and stress caused by transportation to multiple locations for pollination services.

Related Terms

• Beekeeping
• Honey bee
• Pesticides
• Pollination
• Varroa mite

See Also

• List of diseases of the honey bee
• Impact of pesticides on bees
• Beekeeping in the United States

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Colony Collapse Disorder
• Wikipedia's article - Colony Collapse Disorder

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