In a season full of tourism, it's not uncommon to hear of people returning home with various illnesses picked up in foreign countries. Apparently human tourists are not alone in suffering repercussions from their summer vacations.

Colony Collapse Disorder, a phenomenon without any known cures, is causing alarming amounts of honeybees, predominantly those traveling for pollination, to leave their hives and die mysteriously.

"There seems to be some correlation between the stress of traveling and mixing with the varieties of populations," said Quint Randle, hobbyist beekeeper and BYU journalism professor.

Generally, the disease is not affecting the bees that stick with natural modes of transportation.

"Man is forcing nature to do something it's not supposed to do and now it's just not working so well," Randle said.

Neil Shelley, president of the Utah County Beekeepers Associations, said the idea of transporting bees for pollination is not new.

"Even the Egyptians did this, but the methodology and speed is different," Shelley said. "The elevation changes and exhaust fumes are the difference. When you take Utah bees to California, the climate and altitude change significantly."

Shelley said Colony Collapse Disorder is a serious issue.

"Honeybees are considered a part of agriculture," Shelley said. "But in reality, they are the beginning of agriculture."

Shelley said honeybees currently pollinate 80 percent of crops.

"If we lost the honeybees, we would need to use alternate pollinators which are not nearly as abundant or effective," Shelley said.

A loss in honeybees would not only affect those in the bee business, but any companies that rely on fresh crops. One such company is the well-known ice cream maker, Häagan Dazs.

Häagan Dazs is running a campaign called "Save the Honey Bees." Häagan Dazs uses large amounts of almonds and fresh fruit in its ice cream, so a decrease in bees could be detrimental to business.

Häagan Dazs is donating money to bee research groups looking for a cure to Colony Collapse Disorder as well as raising awareness to encourage others to do the same.

According to the Häagan Dazs Web site, helpthehoneybees.com, more than 25 percent of the western honeybee population has disappeared over the last several winters, thus posing a serious threat to the natural food supply. The honeybee is responsible for $15 billion in U.S. agricultural crops each year.

Häagan Dazs suggests people plant bee-friendly plants in their yards to increase bee populations, donate money to bee research facilities and support local beekeepers by buying local honey and using it as an alternative to sugar at home and in restaurants.

Shelley gave an additional suggestion about what farmers can do to improve this situation.

"The best thing they can do would be to stop their use of pesticide," Shelley said. "There are pesticides that cause memory loss in bees so then they can't remember how to get home and they will die within a matter of days without their hive."

If it's absolutely necessary to use pesticide, Shelley said there are bee-friendly precautions people can take.

"It's best to apply it really early in the morning or late at night," Shelley said. "Powder pesticide is the worst kind to use."

Copyright Brigham Young University 16 May 2008