Colony Collapse Disorder, the little understood illness that has been killing large swaths of the worldwide honeybee population in recent years, appears to have expanded last year, according to the New York Times.

Commercial beekeepers have reported the collapse of 40-50% of the nation's hives in the past year, likely driving up prices on the crops they pollinate, which represent at least a third of the world's food supply.

Though Colony Collapse Disorder remains unexplained, THE STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE BEES examines the latest research and suggests that the malady is the result of a combination of factors, making a convincing case that current industrial agricultural practices are largely to blame.

"Perhaps the most disturbing documentary to date about the rapidly declining populations of both commercial and wild honeybees," THE STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE BEES  is an urgent investigation of one of today's most vexing environmental issues. (Educational Media Reviews Online)