Honeybees (which are not native to the Americas) are not the only pollinators suffering increased death rates and inability to fight off disease and/or mites (many regional DOMESTIC bumblebees, moths, butterflies, and bats are also dying off at alarming rates). As said above, there is no single known or identifiable cause for this issue BUT as shown by your post, THERE IS GROWING CONCERN among the masses.
IMO; it will be the widespread interest and concern coming from folks like yourself, from those who don't keep bees and/or know little about their plight, or even like honey. But they do happen to enjoy eating a wide variety of foods, so I applaud X:X X:X your questions and encourage more to come, from you and others so interested in this issue that should well concern everyone who depends on food. That's fairly inclusive as a group, heh?
I feel certain (just me talking now) It is exactly the kind of interest the BEEKEEPING Community needs, especially from those outside our realm ;)
From my own personal perspective on the issues that honeybees and other pollinators currently suffer I recommend the writings of (scientist and beekeeper) Randy Oliver, a regular contributor to the "Beekeeping Journal" publication. You won't find many with a more wide open and science-based viewpoint, in that "all facts" and factors are considered. No "single" cause is or has ever been identified, because as most beekeepers know, there is no single cause, therefore there is no single cure.
The Fact is, there are many contributors to this "world-wide" pollinator die off with 'denial permeating despite considerable data available' indicating clearly where most of the problems originate..... :deadhorse: (shhh, its US) ...... AND.....its not getter any better with any of the latest gimmicks, gadgets or substances beekeepers themselves introduce, its in fact getting worse, especially for some of the big commercial outfits.
The world 'may' do OK without honeybees, but how about when all the other pollinators go the same way?
Honeybees contribute much to our food supply but it is our Native pollinators ruling over that contribution, just not to the Market ;) Economy where the power to make necessary environmental change "currently" resides.
That's pretty much the bad news. The GOOD NEWS is that with increasing interest and awareness of why we are having these problems, especially from those beyond the scope of those most involved, can only result in making/demanding the changes necessary. When beekeepers AND non-beekeeper citizens speak with one voice, that's what I'm waiting for 8-)
Thanks again for the interest and questions.
Remember; Paranoid could also describe awareness. While ignorance may be bliss, knowledge is most certainly torture.