This Issue:

Table of Contents

Cover Story

Grades 2-3

Bad News for Bees

Where have all the bees gone? Beekeepers, researchers and farmers are buzzing. They want to know why millions of honeybees are disappearing. The bees are leaving no clues and no dead bodies behind. "The bees have vanished," says Jerry Bromenshenk, a bee expert.

Twenty-four states have reported big problems with local bee colonies. A colony is a large group of bees that live and work together. It's possible that more states have lost bees. Honey production is way down across the nation.

Busy, Busy Bees

Honeybees are hardworking insects. Of course, they make honey. They also help flowering plants grow and thrive. Bees move grains of pollen from one part of a flower to another so a plant can grow seeds and fruit.

This process is important for crops like apples, almonds, cucumbers and cranberries. Crops could be in trouble this year if there aren't enough bees to do the job.

Experts met in Florida in February to work on solving the mystery. A disease could be killing the bees. Hot, dry weather could be to blame. No one knows.

Groups connected to the bee biz are pooling money to try to stop the crisis. Everyone hopes to see the bees bounce back.

Did You Know?

• Honeybees make beeswax. People use beeswax to make crayons and candles.
• Only female bees have a stinger. Worker honeybees sting only once, then die.
• As many as 70,000 bees can live in one HIVE. About the same number of people go to the Super Bowl each year!

Next: The President's Travels