Robin I'll answer you on the diseases later I have to get the book to list them all.
Cheryl the disease you are hearing about in the news is called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) They don't know yet what's causing that or why some hives don't suffer from it and others do in the same bee yard.
Honey bees are pretty easy to keep alive if the enviroment if favorable. Sometimes they need help to make it through a drought for instance or need treating for disease. We are lucky to live in a rural area where very little pesticide is used within their range. And we have alot of their plants growing all around us. We do have to feed them sometimes like during the hot months of summer when it may be too hot for them to forage. Or when they need help bulding up their winter supply of food. We also feed them sugar water when we first put them in a hive until they get settled in.
Robin some places don't have enough plants to keep them going throughout the whole season. Their range is 6 miles in diameter from the hive. In a city they may get good nectar and pollen only at certain times of the year. Or the beekeeper may be in an area where only one crop is grown like almonds. When the almonds are finished blooming that may be all there is for them because most commercial growers tend to clear the native vegetation completely in order to use all the ground possible for their money crop.
Pests include, birds, skunks, bears, raccoons and humans. Some birds eat honey bees, skunks, bears and raccoons love honey.
Some people kill every bee they see regardless of what kind it is. Some kill them because they are allergic to them. Some may destroy a bee yard out of meanace. Humans are also responsible for the use of pesticides.
More later on diseases.
