I've kept bees for a number of years after learning the craft from my grandfather... there has been a serious affliction of bees nearly all over the world fir about the last 5 years or so. So bad, I might add that the until now unknown malady has its own name... CCD, standing for Colony Collapse Disorder. Scientists feel they have finally determined the cause (a combination of mites, virus' and lack of genetic diversity) and they are making a slow comeback, at least here in the U.S.
Last spring we had fairly standard blooms on our apple trees here in the western U.S., but had very few apples and some trees had none at all. We're quite careful as to pruning and the winter was no more severe than usual. I had cleaned out my hives and had no bees. Neighbors that alsokeep bees had only a few depleted hives. The connection is obvious to me.