Mass Honey Bee Collapse May Compromise US Agriculture

By R. Scott Nolen

Commercial beekeepers across the United States earlier this year discovered their colonies of honey bees in near or total collapse without explanation in what the apiary industry is calling the worst bee die-off in U.S. history.

More than half of the nation’s managed honey bee colonies appear to have experienced mass die-offs. These losses, combined with honey bee die-off events during other times of the year, mean many beekeepers have seen 70% to 100% of their colonies collapse over the past 12 months, according to a February 6 report by the honey bee research organization Project Apis m.

“These losses are severe, broad, and may impact food security through inadequate pollination services,” the report states. Financial losses to the apiary industry are estimated to be well over $139 million, the report added.

U.S. beekeepers learned of the die-off in January as they readied their hives for transportation to California for annual almond pollination.

Project Apis m. says this event is reminiscent of the 2007-08 colony collapse disorder (CCD) outbreak, when as much as 70% of a commercial honey bee colony was suddenly destroyed. CCD is a phenomenon where the majority of worker bees in a honey bee colony mysteriously disappear, leaving behind a queen, food stores, and a few nurse bees.

“During recent inspections by field scientists, deceased colonies often died with ample honey stores, leaving small patches of brood, with most or all the adult bees missing. Another symptom has been the rapid dwindling of surviving colonies, often within ten days of passing health inspections,” the Project Apis m. report states.

Similar losses were previously seen in 2023 in Florida, where up to 90% of colonies died. Initial findings from that event are still undergoing peer review but the evidence suggests the deaths were due to a mix of chemical exposures and novel pathogens.

The industry has responded with a collaborative effort involving Project Apis m., American Beekeeping Federation, American Honey Producers Association, and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service laboratories.

“The cause has not yet been identified, however, the usual causes of loss, including winter management and high levels of parasitic mites, are not currently indicated causes of these losses,” according to Project Apis m.

Honey bees are an essential component of the plant ecosystem as well as a robust U.S. food supply.

“Honey bees, our number one managed pollinator, are responsible for 75% of our most nutritious food crops,” said Dr. Terry Ryan Kane, an officer with the Honey Bee Veterinary Consortium and honey bee representative on the AVMA Animal Agriculture Liaison Committee.