There has been a lot of buzz about the recent colony losses. Backyard beekeepers normally lose around 50% of their colones each year-the main reason you need a local mentor (because this is preventable). Commercial beekeepers usually have a lower yearly loss rate than backyard or hobby beekeepers but the huge losses we are hearing about are commerical beekeeper losses. Why does this matter? Well, do you like to eat? Better yet, do you like to be able to afford to eat? Hobbyist beekeepers bring food to small markets but commercial beekeepers keep food in our grocery stores. Both are important.

Commercial beekeepers reported losses of around 62% with around 1.6 million colonies lost. Economic impacts on beekeepers are estimated at over $600 million in lost honey production, pollination income, and costs to replace colonies. This has so many layers and affects the agriculture industry in so many ways and maybe even in some ways you might not have considered. What caused so many colony losses? According to the Honeybee Health Coalition researchers are still trying to figure that out.

USDA-ARS Scientists are conducting a four-tiered investigation to determine potential causes:

1. Pathogen Screening – Testing for all known honey bee diseases using molecular methods.
2. Pesticide Residues & Pollen Diversity – Examining stored pollen for pesticide contamination and plant diversity.
3. Metagenomic Analysis – Identifying previously unknown pathogens in colonies with high disease prevalence.
4. Microbiome & Host-Pathogen Interactions – Assessing gut bacterial diversity and potential links to colony health.

Additionally, a lab at Cornell is conducting a pesticide residue analysis on wax, bees, pollen, and they are even including honey samples from the infected colonies. Luckily we still have funding for this research but who knows what the future holds since our current President is in a fight with science.

Why make this political? IT IS POLITICAL. But first, I have a question. Do you know where most of the honey in America comes from? Check out this website and you will see it comes from China, Turkey, Iran, India…and others. Do you think tarrifs are going to impact these numbers? They will-and everyday Americans will soon be unable to afford something so simple as honey. This is why backyard beekeepers are so important right now.

Here are some impacts of colony losses:

• Pollinated crops such as almonds, cherries, melons, apples, and pumpkins, create higher prices and it impact availability of these particular crops
• Did I mention higher prices? Just making sure.
• More imported honey-but with tarrifs increasing, there will not be enough honey to keep up with demand
• Commerical beekeepers are losing money-and heart to stay in the industry (watch this)
• Not as many bees to purchase or sell
• Beekeepers do not have the money to rebuild
• Low quality of bees that aren’t as healthy for pollination
• Beekeepers getting out of the industry
• Beekeepers unable to fulfill pollinator contracts (less money for farmers & beekeepers
• Competing industries could push beekeepers out of the market

IT STARTS LOCAL!

One more thing before I go-commercial beekeepers need our help. New herbicide sprays are killing their bees, too. We need to support beekeeping bills and focus our efforts on educating others about using herbicides. We need to raise awareness and that can be done by bringing beekeepers and local pollinator folks into your group, church, homeschool group, gas station workers, county folks, etc. and get counties we live in to stop mowing down bee friendly habitat.

BUY AMERICAN HONEY! 100% USA HONEY directly supports USA BEEKEEPERS!

If you have a big yard that you mow all the way down but don’t spend time in those corners, please STOP! 10% more forage for bees and other pollinators could be crucial to their survival (and ours).

STOP MOWING DOWN FALL FORAGE! Honeybees, bumblebees, and other pollinators need those fall blooms (goldenrod, for example) to make it through the winter.

Work with people that are building habitats.

Lead by example and educate your neighbors and families by showing them the good you are doing in your own yards!