Honeybee deaths in the U.S. have reached record levels, leaving scientists racing to determine the cause.
A recent survey found that commercial beekeepers lost an average of more than 60% of their colonies over the winter.
Scott McArt, an associate professor of entomology, said the decline is even steeper than last year and is on track to be “the greatest loss of honeybee colonies in U.S. history.”
The alarming drop became evident during the winter when honeybees migrated to California to pollinate almond crops.
Honeybees play a vital role in agriculture, pollinating half of all U.S. crops, including berries, apples, cherries, melons, and pumpkins. With their numbers dwindling, beekeepers are struggling to sustain enough colonies to meet demand.
The recent decline of honeybees has led to losses of over $139 million, with the price of honey increasing by 5 percent. Many commercial beekeepers are now struggling with these numbers, with some closing shop altogether.
One beekeeper who responded to the survey said “the equity on [their] house is gone, the family’s money is gone and [their] retirement is gone” due to the loss of colonies.
While it’s not unusual for a certain amount of a colony to pernish over the winter months, the rate of loss is typically only between 10 to 20 percent. Recently, however, colony collapse disorder has caused entire colonies to die or disappear in the U.S. Now, 50 percent of all colonies are lost on average.
Scientists have found that pesticide use, habitat loss, and the climate crisis have had a significant effect on honeybees. Poor handling practices, nutrient defiency and mite infestations have also taken their toll on managed honeybees.
In the U.S., the decline of both wild and managed honeybee populations has led to lower honey production and is beginning to impact the supply of certain food crops.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is currently investigating the record-breaking honeybee losses by analyzing bees, pollen, and wax to determine whether viruses or parasites are responsible.
However, budget cuts to the department under Donald Trump’s administration have slowed the process, meaning it could take up to a month for experts to test the samples. While scientists suspect multiple potential causes, they cannot draw conclusions until they have gathered and analyzed the data.
Interestingly, the number of honeybee colonies in the U.S. has reached a record high of approximately 3.8 million—one million more than five years ago.
McArt explained that this increase is due to a growing interest in beekeeping, which has led to a greater number of colonies in the U.S. However, he stressed that this doesn’t mean the colonies are thriving, as the rate of decline is continuing to rise.
