Too Much Noise Surrounding Data
The problem is that there is just so much noise regarding this apiary CCD condition. People are speculating left and right all over the world about the cause. To make matters worse, rags like this report it and then other beekeepers believe what they read.
Research will take time and it will be involved. There are many aspects to this that need to be evaluated. One primary aspect is that bees are frequently moved hundred or thousands of miles/kilometers to pollinate crops. Durig their stay at a different location, they may pick up a disease. Then, when the hives are transported to their next destination, they carry the disease with them. The result is that a disease propogates across the country much faster than it would by nature.
There are also many people who are claiming CCD but their symptoms are not fitting. If the bees return to the hive, then they don't have CCD. If the hive population is dropping gradually, then they don't have CCD. Responsibile beekeepers know the difference.
One other detail that isn't being widely reported is that once CCD hits a hive, normal preditors to the hive won't touch it either. Why? We honestly don't know but moths, animals, beetles and the like that would normally invade and consume an abandoned hive don't touch CCD hives.
If you're going to report about Bees and CCD, please report facts and not rumors.