Bee mortality in the United States has reached a record level this winter.

Published Apr 16, 2025

Tridge summary

Record honeybee mortality in the US has reached a high this winter, with commercial beekeepers experiencing an average loss of 62% of their colonies, according to a survey by Project Apis. This translates to a loss of nearly $430 million for the surveyed beekeepers and an estimated additional $205 million for those who did not participate. The significant colony losses could impact the pollination of essential food crops and the profitability of the agricultural industry. Both the USDA and Cornell University are conducting studies to determine the causes of the mortality, whether it be parasites, viruses, or pesticides.

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Original content

Honeybee mortality in the United States has reached a record level this winter, according to a survey by the NGO Project Apis, reported by The Guardian. Commercial beekeepers lost an average of 62% of their colonies, according to the survey of 702 beekeepers who own approximately 68% of the honeybee population (approximately 1.84 million colonies). Direct colony losses (excluding labor, feed, treatments, etc.) for the surveyed beekeepers alone are estimated at nearly $225 million. Added to this is nearly $205 million for those who did not participate in the survey. “These alarming figures could have a significant impact on the pollination of essential food crops and harm the profitability of the national agricultural industry,” Project Apis states. The beekeeping and agricultural organization launched this "large-scale" survey, noting that the start of the 2025 almond pollination campaign has been marked by "unprecedented" colony losses. These alarming figures for bee colony ...

Source: Agropopular