I’m not sure I can buy into the central premise of this article. It alludes several times to almond pollination being a major factor in killing off bees, but several of the causes listed (mites, African bee species, etc) are never directly linked to the almond pollinization process.<p>It also seems to rely on the comparison between the number of bees dying each year and the average death rates for other animals, and at one point even for humans (“In any other industry, the death of a third of your workforce would cause an international outcry – but this staggering loss is now considered the normal cost of doing business.”). Given that the average lifespan of any honey bee appears to be well under a year, and also the fact that bees are not human workers, this comparison seems forced at best. If 30% of beekeepers were being killed every year while transporting their bees, yes, I’d be very concerned.