Mysterious Illness Devastating Florida's Bee Colonies TAMPA (WUSF) - A mysterious illness has killed tens of thousands of honeybee colonies in 22 states nationwide - including Florida.

The unidentified disease is akin to a fungus, according to Dave Hackenberg, who owns apiaries in Florida and Pennsylvania

In the past few months, the Dade City beekeeper has lost 2000 hives - nearly two-thirds of his Florida hives.

HACKENBERG: The problem is we don't know what's spurring this, we don't know what might make it happen again, or where it's going to happen again.

The disease is called Colony Collapse Disorder. The bees simply disappear, not returning to their hives, says Hackenberg.

Bees are critical for pollination of Florida's $15 billion crop industry.
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