Project Apis m., a honeybee research organization, determined the cause of the mass honeybee colony collapse earlier this year was virus-infected, miticide-resistant parasitic mites. The colony collapse culminated in a loss of 1.7 million colonies, which represents more than 60% of commercial beekeeping colonies since the summer before. A month later ARS researchers collected bee and colony samples from California and other Western US states prior to almond pollination to analyze parasites and pathogens. “Initial survey results of colony losses suggest that commercial beekeepers may have lost in excess of 60% of their bees. If we continue to see losses at this rate, we simply won’t be able to sustain current food production.