Bees are valuable

Without bees there would be no almonds. And that's a lot of money. Almond growing in California alone is a $7.6 billion industry that wouldn’t be possible without the 30 billion bees (and hundreds of human beekeepers) who keep the trees pollinated.

But bees don't pollinate only almonds. Bees are central to an enormous agricultural industry — about one of every three mouthfuls of food we eat wouldn’t exist without bee pollination. However, bee keepers are worried. Since 2006, annual winter losses in colonies have averaged more than 28 percent, nearly double the historical winter mortality rate of 15 percent. The decline is based on 
parasites, pathogens, pesticides and poor nutrition.