I've heard lots of reasons why the number of bees are decreasing, but haven't seen any solid evidence yet.

Surely the whole creation is groaning.

I had been a beekeeper for a lot of yrs. and it was profitable before times got so wonderfully modern.  We did not used to have to treat bees for anything but now to keep many bees is a full time job and in some areas it cannot be done.  I am living in such an area now.

We have a large bee keeper 20 miles away and he has found areas that he can and puts in as many as 40 miles to get to some hives.

I can tell you all this, the same thing that is bringing down the bees is doing the same to us.  It is a number of things and it is more from modern agriculture practices than anything.  Radiation fallout is one thing and RF radiation is one also, as is GMO crops and sprays now used in agriculture.

I could keep bees where I was born and raised, around 5 miles in any direction from farming and the bees make honey from wild flower and tulip trees.  That would be a 45 mile drive and I can't afford it for 6 or 8 hives.  A lot of the area was strip mined and locust trees are many and think bees do well on them when in bloom.  A lot of tulip popular trees to.

1Jo 4:4 ¶ Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.