Bee species number in the thousands, but nearly all of their ranks are suffering from mites, and mysterious illness know as Colony Collapse Disorder. Vermont's wild and cultivated bees are fairing better than bees in other regions, but they aren't immune to these afflictions, and the damage to the bees can extend to agriculture and the rest of the ecosystem. Beekeeper Bill Mares is author of "Bees Besieged".  Rowan Jacobsen is author of the new book, "Fruitless Fall".  They spoke with VPR's Jane Lindholm about the health of Vermont's bees.

 

Photo: Bill Mares examines one of his honey combs (Photo: Patti Daniels)