vanEngelsdorp D, Hayes J, Underwood RM, Pettis J (2008) A Survey of Honey Bee Colony Losses in the U.S., Fall 2007 to Spring 2008. PLoS ONE 3(12):
e4071. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0004071
 

By: Dennis vanEngelsdorp1,2*, Jerry Hayes Jr3, Robyn M Underwood2 and Jeffery S Pettis4
1
  Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant Industry - Apiculture, 2301 North Cameron Street, Harrisburg,
PA 17701, USA.
2
  Department of Entomology, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
3
  Florida Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Plant and Apiary Inspection, Apiary Inspection Section, Division of Plant
Industry, P.O. Box 147100, Gainesville, FL 32614, USA.
4
  USDA-ARS Bee Research Laboratory, Bldg. 476 BARC-E, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA.

 Honey bees are an essential component of modern agriculture. A recently recognized ailment, Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), devastates colonies, leaving hives with a complete lack of bees, dead or alive. Up to now, estimates of honey bee population decline have not included losses occurring during the wintering period, thus underestimating actual colony mortality. Our survey quantifies the extent of colony losses in the United States over the winter of 2007–2008.