WASHINGTON — A record 36 percent of the U.S. commercial bee colonies have been lost so far to mysterious causes this year and the worse may be yet to come, experts told a congressional panel Thursday.

The year's bee colony losses are about twice the usual seen following a typical winter, scientists warn. Despite ambitious new research efforts, the causes remain a mystery.

"We need results," pleaded beekeeper Steve Godlin, from California's San Joaquin Valley. "We need a unified effort by all."

The escalating campaign against what's generically called colony collapse disorder includes more state, federal and private funding for research. Publicity efforts are getting louder — a costumed Mr. Bee was seen wandering around Capitol Hill this week — and lawmakers are becoming mobilized.

Colony collapse disorder is characterized by a sudden decline in a bee colony's population and the inexplicable absence of dead bees. First reported in 2006, the disorder was the chief cause for the 31 percent decline in bee colonies experienced last year.

"What seemed to be an aberration has unfortunately turned into a full-fledged crisis," said Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Calif.

Cardoza chairs the House horticulture and organic agriculture subcommittee, which convened the bee hearing. The hearing is the second of its kind chaired by Cardoza, and it's part of a concerted strategy — elements of which have already borne fruit.

The five-year farm bill recently approved over President Bush's veto authorizes — but does not guarantee — $20 million in new funding for bee-related studies.

Additional bee-related research can be funded through other accounts, and the legislation requires an Agriculture Department report on the status of ongoing pollinator research. This is the first farm bill to specifically mention the word pollinator.

Private industry is also contributing. Haagen-Dazs, the Oakland, Calif.-based ice cream company, has recently pledged $250,000 for bee-related research at the University of California at Davis and Pennsylvania State University. This is self-interest in action, as 40 percent of the company's flavors — think Vanilla Swiss Almond or Cherry Vanilla — depend in some fashion on honeybees.

The company, for instance, buys more than 1 million pounds of almonds annually for its ice cream.

Almonds, almost all of which are grown in California's San Joaquin Valley, require an estimated 1.3 million bee hives for pollination.

"Pollinators are an essential part of our business," Haagen-Dazs brand manager Katty Pien said.

Godlin's firm, for instance, manages more than 5,000 hives based in the San Joaquin Valley town of Visalia. Although he said this year's bees "look good" so far, he noted that "things started to unravel in the middle of July" last year. By October, Godlin had only about 2,500 colonies; he's been rebuilding ever since.

"There are some very important (research) projects just getting up and started, and we really haven't time to waste, or money," Godlin said.

Next month, the Agriculture Department expects to announce a new $4.1 million, four-year bee research project spanning several universities.

So far, Agricultural Research Service Administrator Edward Knipling told the House panel, scientists believe that "various stresses" that can include parasites, pathogens and pesticides can build up in a bee colony and cause its demise.

Some research has identified a particular virus, called the Israeli acute paralysis virus, which is closely associated with colony collapse.