WATERTOWN--A swarm of concerns buzzing around Connecticut's honey bee population.
State beekeepers say a die-off continues nationwide, but in Connecticut it's about 40 to 60 percent lately.
They blame loss of pollinating habitats, Varroa mite infestations and pesticides for the significant decline.
Beekeepers say if you like Connecticut-grown food, you should be concerned about the plight of pollinators.
"Every three tablespoons of food that we eat, two of them have benefited by the honey bee, and that goes all the way to your foods," Cathy Wolko, owner of the Humble Bee Honey Company, said. "Your grains, your dairy products because everything that the cows eat and enjoy are pollinated by the bees."
Beekeepers have appealed to legislators to pass what's called the Pollinator Bill. Among other things, it would preserve habitat and help recoup losses from bee die-offs.