Challenges for the Bees
US honeybees face a challenging season with the second-highest death rate on record. Approximately half of the managed bee colonies were lost last year, but beekeepers are trying to maintain stability. A recent survey reveals that despite a 48% loss in colonies, the overall number of US honeybee colonies has remained relatively steady.
Honeybees play a vital role in our food supply, as they are responsible for pollinating well over 100 crops, including nuts, vegetables, berries, citruses, and melons. Bee decline can be attributed to various factors such as parasites, pesticides, starvation, and the effects of climate change, leading to significant die-offs.
Although last year's loss of 48% is higher than the previous year's 39% and the 12-year average of roughly 39%, it is lower than the mortality rate of around 50% recorded in 2020-2021. The survey, funded and conducted by the non-profit research group Bee Informed Partnership, found that 21% loss over winter is considered acceptable by beekeepers, but a majority reported higher losses.
Experts in the field have expressed concern over these numbers, emphasizing the challenging task beekeepers face in rebuilding colony numbers yearly. However, the commercial beekeeping industry keeps the overall bee population relatively stable by creating new colonies through costly and time-consuming measures such as splitting hives, acquiring new queens, and using starter packs.
While the situation is still problematic, it is not as dire as it was 15 years ago, thanks to the resilience and adaptation of beekeepers in the face of significant losses. The beekeeping community has learned how to recover from these challenges. Despite the annual losses, honeybees have persisted, although not without difficulties. Environmental threats continue, but they have not led to the extinction of honeybees. Some commercial beekeepers experienced substantial losses, while others fared better.
Other factors affecting bee populations include mono-culture landscapes that lack diverse food sources for bees and the detrimental effects of pesticides and extreme weather events. Climate change, in particular, poses a hidden threat to bee colony survival.
The demand for pollination from commercial bee colonies continues to grow, placing additional strain on beekeepers who must work harder to compensate for losses. The US government states that 35% of depends on plants pollinated by bees accounting for 80% of that pollination.
The reliance on honeybee colonies in the agricultural industry highlights the significant stress beekeepers and bees face. Acknowledging their vital contribution and support efforts to protect and preserve honeybee populations for our food supply and ecosystem is crucial.
Also in Bee Journal
Amen Turkey with Special Honey Glaze
Giovanni Bottazzo
