Honeybee deaths in the United States have reached alarming new highs, with commercial beekeepers reporting catastrophic losses that are threatening their livelihoods and raising serious concerns for the future of food production.

According to an ongoing Project Apis m. survey, more than 60% of managed honeybee colonies were lost over the recent winter—an unprecedented figure that covers over two-thirds of the country’s commercial bee population.

This winter’s losses surpass previous records and are set to mark the largest honeybee die-off in U.S. history, according to Scott McArt, an associate professor of entomology at Cornell University.

McArt noted that the scale of the losses became strikingly evident during the annual migration of hives to California, where honeybees play a crucial role in pollinating the state’s vast almond crop.

These pollination services are vital to U.S. agriculture, as honeybees—though not native to North America—are responsible for pollinating about half of all crops, including apples, melons, berries, pumpkins, and cherries.

“Something real bad is going on this year,” said McArt. “We have been seeing high losses year after year but if anything it is getting worse, which is troubling. Some places are having devastating losses and there was a shortfall in pollination in some almond orchards this year. Whether these impacts will cascade to other crops remains to be seen, it’s certainly possible.”

Maintaining sufficient bee populations for this work has become an escalating challenge. The current bee losses have been valued at $139 million, coinciding with a 5% increase in honey prices due to a sharp decline in honey production. The financial strain is proving unbearable for many beekeepers, with some forced to close their operations entirely.

“It’s all gone,” said one beekeeper in response to the Project Apis m. survey. “The equity on the house is gone, our retirement is gone, the family member’s money is gone. All that’s left are empty boxes. We don’t even have the dead bees. They are gone too.”

Historically, winter colony losses were around 10–20%, but this changed dramatically two decades ago with the emergence of colony collapse disorder—a phenomenon where entire colonies vanish or die unexpectedly. Today, the average annual loss is closer to 50%, with this year’s figures even higher.

Scientists have identified a variety of pressures impacting honeybee health. The climate crisis, habitat loss, and pesticide exposure have devastated bee populations—both managed honeybees and the U.S.’s 4,000 native wild bee species.

For honeybees specifically, other compounding stressors include poor nutrition, suboptimal handling practices, and widespread infestations of varroa mites, a parasitic pest that spreads diseases and weakens bee immunity.

The consequences of these losses are becoming more visible: reduced pollination is starting to impact food crop yields, and honey production is falling. The honeybee crisis is part of a wider ecological emergency facing insects globally, with numerous species disappearing at an alarming rate. Scientists warn that insect decline threatens core natural processes like plant reproduction, soil health, and organic waste breakdown.

In response to this year’s record losses, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has launched an investigation, analysing bees, wax, and pollen for signs of viruses and parasites.

However, previous staffing cuts during the Trump administration have limited the USDA’s capacity, prompting Cornell University to assist with research into potential pesticide contamination. Preliminary results are expected within a month, which may offer more clarity on the primary drivers behind this year’s devastating losses.

“There’s no one single thing affecting honeybees but we are trying to figure out what the most important stresses are right now,” said McArt. “There are a suspicions of a lot of things at the moment, you should see my inbox right now. There are theories about a new virus bring involved but we have to gather the data. We can’t rule anything out at this stage.”

Paradoxically, even as colony deaths soar, the total number of honeybee colonies in the U.S. has reached an all-time high of 3.8 million—up by one million in just five years.

This growth is largely due to a surge in public interest in beekeeping, with more individuals starting hives and splitting existing colonies, McArt explained.

However, even this rising enthusiasm may not be enough to offset the growing threats to bee survival.

“The colony loss rates are increasing, if anything, even though we are putting more supply into the system. Another important point is that we have very good evidence of range declines and even extinctions among wild pollinators, which aren’t being managed by anyone.

“Comparing honeybees and wild bees is like comparing a chicken and a woodpecker. That doesn’t mean honeybees, which are a part of agriculture like chickens, aren’t beautiful. They bring a lot of joy to people and without their crop pollination we wouldn’t be doing well at all.”

 

 

——————————————————————————

At Natural World Fund, we are passionate about restoring habitats in the UK to halt the decline in our wildlife.

 

Donate now and join in the solution!