Scott Fallon reports for The Record:


More than 48 percent of the bees died in 2013 and more than 53 percent were lost in 2016. This year, 41 percent died, according to a recent national survey.


Nationwide, honeybee deaths average 33 percent a year.


Video: Bergen County beekeeper 


“We don’t have all the answers as to why one state is significantly higher than others,” said Dennis vanEngelsdorp, survey director for the Bee Informed Partnership, a consortium of scientists and beekeepers. “It’s something that we have to look at much closer.”


Continuing to lose 40 to 50 percent of bees would be a major hit to the state’s agricultural industry. The honeybee, New Jersey’s official state bug, is a $7 million industry and the bees help pollinate nearly $200 million worth of fruits and vegetables annually. Major crops in New Jersey, including cranberries, blueberries, apples and cucumbers, rely on honeybee pollination.