Habitat Loss
Lack of pollinator friendly plants and flowers.
Degradation
The decline in habitat quality, especially from city development
Fragmentation
Hard for pollinators to get to their land/homes
Non-Native Species
Invasive species that are harming pollinators habitat
Diseases
Colony Collapse Disorder in bee hives
Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) Causes the worker bees leave the hive. While this happens the queen and a few nurse bees are left behind, causing the hive lose productivity and the remaining bees die. Although no one cause has been found, according to the EPA the following may contribute to it:
- Increased losses due to the invasive varroa mite (a pest of honey bees).
- New or emerging diseases such as Israeli Acute Paralysis virus and the gut parasite Nosema.
- Pesticide poisoning through exposure to pesticides applied to crops or for in-hive insect or mite control.
- Stress bees experience due to management practices such as transportation to multiple locations across the country for providing pollination services.
- Changes to the habitat where bees forage.
- Inadequate forage/poor nutrition.
- Potential immune-suppressing stress on bees caused by one or a combination of factors identified above.