As spring begins to bloom, many of us are accustomed to seeing more flowers, and with them, more bees. And for most beekeepers, spring usually means an influx in honey production. This year has been different. Honeybee keepers are familiar with expecting to lose around 10 percent of their hive colonies each year due to what’s known as “winter loss,’ but year’s numbers shed light on an even larger decline, after the Bee Informed Partnership released its annual colony loss survey on Wednesday. Data from thousands of beekeepers around the country revealed an average loss of 42 percent of honeybee colonies. And in Illinois, the number was closer to 60 percent. While the fate of the honeybee might be dependent on the future of the environment, pesky mites or pesticides, we discuss how lower numbers of bees might be affecting things on a local level. Joining us with his thoughts is Beverly beekeeper and meadery owner, Greg Fischer.(Flickr/majamarko)