Researchers working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture just announced findings from their annual honeybee census — and they're not good. More than 40 percent of honeybee hives died this past year, as reported by the Associated Press. The number is preliminary, but if confirmed it marks the second highest loss ever recorded. Disturbing, since honeybees are pollination machines essential to agriculture. Study co-author Keith Delaplane, of the University of Georgia, described the findings as "a loud signal that there’s some bad things happening with our agro-ecosystems."
