Research conducted by the National Research Council in 2007 concluded that in 60 years number of colonies dropped from 6 million to 2 million in the U.S which equates to 66.6% decrease (Figure 1). Apple pollination starts in the Northeast in June, and in late June or early July, they go to Maine to help with lowbush blueberries. We are losing huge numbers of honey bees in the recent years and all over the world. Other losses will include beans and nuts. The USDAs bee population chart shows this was the case throughout 2018, with April through June seeing the most significant portion of colonies affected by varroa mites (56.4%). Honeybees are shown on a frame at beekeeper Denise Hunsaker's apiary on May 20, 2019, in Salt Lake City. In the U.S., winter losses have commonly reached 30-50 percent, in some cases more. Bee populations are in decline. View and download data from the NASS Quick Stats database. This is when only one crop is grown on a piece of land, and it limits the bees diet to one type of pollen for extended periods of time. Between April 2020 and this April, losses across the country averaged 45.5 percent according to preliminary data from . With that in mind, the FDA estimates there are at the very least 2 trillion managed bees. Current scientific research indicates that parasites, and the diseases they carry, are the main threat to the lives of honey bees. Information including number of honey producing colonies, yield per colony, and total production were collected and published separately and does not alter the honey data series. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Some of the world's bee species include carpenter bees and bumblebees in North America,[7] the mining bee and the mason bee in Europe,[8] the Cape bee in Africa,[9] and the Asian honeybee in Asia and Australia. They have focused on breeding honey bees that are tolerant to the virus transmitted by Varroa destructor. Between the years 2006 and 2016, Australia lost over 100 thousand commercial Honeybee hives. They are also trying to figure out which pesticides could potentially be replaced with chemicals that are more bee-friendly, and what changes can be made to habitats to encourage more bees, such as planting wildflowers instead of green grass in the front yard and encouraging homeowners to mow their lawns less often, McArt said. If all the bees died, wed die, too. Two of the most well known diseases to infect bees are American Foulbrood and Deformed Wing Virus. According to U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization statistics, the world's honeybee population rose to 80 million colonies in 2011 from 50 million in 1960.". Right behind are California with over 13,000 and South Dakota with close to 12,000. A study by Mark Brown of Royal Holloway University in London stated that one in five wild bees had the deformed wing virus associated with the parasitic varroa mite. "We would not have almonds if it weren't for honey bees," McArt said. Funded by several genomics and conservation organizations, the project researching bee DNA started in October 2019 and will be completed by 2023. This is the second highest annual loss on record, 1.8 pp higher than last year's estimated annual loss (43.7%), and a 6.1 pp increase over the average loss rate (39.4%) over the last 10 years. This occurred away from the colony, leaving the young and the queen behind, still with strong pollen and honey reserves. It suggested that radiation from the towers altered the electromagnetic field of the earth and, in turn, the bees homing ability. In 2008, U.S. honey bee colonies totaled 2.3 million, the lowest on record. Crop pollination is crucial for crop survival and, thus, feeding the world population. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. It does not store any personal data. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Here are the most popular ones:\n\nBuy organic, avoid GMOs.\nGarden without insecticides.\nPlant nectar-rich flowers.\nShop local.\nGet a beehive and become a hobby beekeeper.\nAdopt a hive.\nCreate a watering hole for bees in your yard.\nTalk about it and share information.\nSign one of the many petitions supporting the bees."}}]}. Share these sad statistics and inform as many people as possible to help end the current pattern of bee deaths and build a better future for them and us. Honey bees are essential for the pollination of flowers, fruits and vegetables, and support about $20 billion worth of crop production in the U.S. annually, Matthew Mulica, senior project manager at the Keystone Policy Center, a consulting company that works with the Honey Bee Health Coalition, told ABC News. In the 1940s, close to 5.7 million honey bee colonies were managed in the country. The total annual value of U.S. honey bee products and services sold is approximately $700 million. The domesticated western honeybee is the best-known species and is managed by beekeepers for honey production and other products. This scenario highlights a need to understand the conditions in which colonies flourish and in which colonies fail. As the world becomes more aware of what would happen without the bees, more is being done to help them. The state produces over 14,000 pounds of honey a year. Have a specific question for one of our subject experts? Therefore, he decided to make it his personal goal to offer only verified and up-to-date information to all pet parents. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. "The main take-home from this is these are unsustainably high losses," McArt said, adding that researchers are not necessarily alarmed at the numbers because they've become "a little bit accustomed to these large loss rates.". Abstract. One of every three bites of food eaten . Pesticides also interfere with bee communication, which is almost entirely reliant on chemical and physical signals. In 2019, NIFA awarded approximately $4 million in competitive grants for pollinator health-related projects. The meat will be scarce because most of the animals we eat highly depend on the plants that bees pollinate. 4. We can see that beekeeping has had a positive impact . Reflecting the trend of . Decline of honeybees. This statistic shows the number of honey bee colonies in the United States from 2016 to 2021. A petition signed by 7.5 million Bavarians is being passed as the latest bee-saving law. That's more than 20% of honey-producing hives lost in a single decade. By January 1st, 2019, operations with five or more colonies counted 2.67 million colonies total in the US. This national survey keeps track of the annual losses to understand how widespread the problem is. But in the latest win for bees, the EU has banned the use of neonicotinoids entirely. Winter Wheat Seedings up for 2023, NASS to publish milk production data in updated data dissemination format, USDA-NASS Crop Progress report delayed until Nov. 29, NASS reinstates Cost of Pollination survey, USDA NASS reschedules 2021 Conservation Practice Adoption Motivations data highlights release, Respond Now to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, 2017 Census of Agriculture Highlight Series Farms and Land in Farms, 2017 Census of Agriculture Highlight Series Economics, 2017 Census of Agriculture Highlight Series Demographics, NASS Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan, Statement of Commitment to Scientific Integrity, USDA and NASS Civil Rights Policy Statement, Civil Rights Accountability Policy and Procedures, Contact information for NASS Civil Rights Office, International Conference on Agricultural Statistics, Agricultural Statistics: A Historical Timeline, As We Recall: The Growth of Agricultural Estimates, 1933-1961, Safeguarding America's Agricultural Statistics Report, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), Bee and Honey Inquiry Survey and resulting annual, Click to read about the Quick Stats Tools, National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators, Economics, Statistics and Market Information System (ESMIS), In Quick Stats 2.0, under Program, select "Survey.". This was a repeat of the first significant drop-off in population in 1987, the year the varroa mite appeared in the country. Background Honey bees are an essential component of modern agriculture. According to the data on bee population from 2020, the state lost 65.5% of its colonies during the winter of 2019. Technically, humans can survive without beesthere are other ways to pollinate crops aside from bees. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Scientists are continuing to research the effects different types of pesticides and application methods are having on the health of the bees. By Elizabeth Grossman April 30, 2013. These numbers reveal that more research on the bee population and its decline is urgent. He began his journey as a student at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Zagreb, Croatia, becoming a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. The most common reason is the, bees losing a lot of their habitat because of farming and urbanization, Get a beehive and become a hobby beekeeper, Create a watering hole for bees in your yard, Sign one of the many petitions supporting the bees. Here are the most important statistics about the current global bee situation. Several studies show that in the . At this moment, we could collect precise numbers only for the U.S. and Europe. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Planet Bee Foundation,3035 25th Ave San Francisco, CA, 94132. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Between 1947 and 2008, the number of honeybees in the United States declined by 61%, from 5.9 million to 2.3 million. Survey results and definitions of terms are in the current. "The decision to suspend data collection was not made lightly but was necessary given available fiscal and program resources," a July 1 statement from the USDA read. 88% of the honey bees covering 26 field sites confirmed this finding. Required fields are marked *. "}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How can I help the bees? Most of our bees have pretty good resistance now to one of these, the tracheal mite, but there are still some bees killed by them. There are many factors that may have contributed to this long-term slide, a number of them economic or cultural through the 1980s. The more they suffer, the more we will in the future. ","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"If you find a tired, dying bee, mix water and sugar in a tablespoon to give it an energy boost. Albertas largest honey-producing province saw a drop to 25.1 million pounds, a dramatic 35% decrease to the lowest its been since 2000. If you find a tired, dying bee, mix water and sugar in a tablespoon to give it an energy boost. It describes of a rapid loss of adult worker bees. Planet Bee - Changing the World, One Bee and One Student at a Time! The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Among them are the Cliff Mason Bee, the Potter Flower Bee, and the Great Yellow Bumblebee. {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What is the current state of the bee population? Like!! These declines were attributed in part to a phenomena referred to as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), an abnormal condition that occurs when the majority of worker bees in a honey bee colony disappears, leaving behind a queen, an abundant supply of food, and a few nurse bees to care for remaining immature bees. For the entire year -- April 1, 2018, to April 1, 2019 -- the managed bee population decreased by 40.7%, according to the report. There are around 100 commercial enterprises breeding bees worldwide. Food prices could rise if the number of bees pollinating crops keeps dwindling. Over the last 20 years, the U.S. beekeeping industry has experienced significant changes that have included fluctuating honey bee colony numbers coupled with per colony honey yield declines. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates about our programs. Corn stocks down, soybean stocks down from year earlier
An analysis of 228 bee species in the UK revealed that disease. Honey bee loss is the declining number of colonies within honey bee (Apis mellifera) populations.We are losing huge numbers of honey bees in the recent years and all over the world. Experts blame environmental pressures like deforestation and forest fires. Thank you for signing up for Planet Bees Un-BEE-lievable Newsletter! Did you know that if the bees disappeared, it would leave us with minimal food sources at skyrocketing prices? Much of the produce seen in grocery stores -- watermelon, apples, peppers, cucumbers -- and nuts are pollinated by millions of European honey bees, or Apis mellifera, that travel across the country and are managed by commercial beekeepers, Mulica said. The chemicals in pesticides have been shown to alter their foraging behavior, their communication, and their larval development. "This is really a big knockout blow to a lot of these hives," Mulica said. While both statements highlight historical data . Posted by Robert M. Nowierski, PhD, NIFA National Program Leader for Bio-based Pest Management in, More, Better, and New Market Opportunities, Honeybee Hive Monitoring System for Varroa Mite Management & Honey Bee Health, Using Vaccines to Increase Pollinator Health: Testing a Honey Bee Nosema Vaccine, Quantifying the Intersections Between Neonicotinoid Insecticide Use for Seed Treatments and Foraging Honey Bees, National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Honey bee loss is the declining number of colonies within honey bee (Apis mellifera) populations. Between April 2020 and April 2021 beekeepers lost 45.5% of their honey bee colonies. Tagged. Its expected that the use of this new technology will double soon, meaning that over 20 million honey bees will be monitored worldwide. Still, the effects of bee decline will lead to the diversity of food options being reduced.\n\nThis will lead to the prices of food skyrocketing as pollination will have to be done manually or through advanced technologies. The new data comes from a paper published in the journal The Royal Society on Wednesday, July 29. The. We look forward to your return. It has been collecting data on US honey bee colonies for over 30 years. The Honey Bee Colonies report is an annual report of honey bee colonies, lost colonies, added colonies, renovated colonies and colonies affected by stressors by State and U.S. Our information is sourced from recent peer-reviewed publications, the USDA's annual reports on honey bee health, and the USDA's most recent information on the productivity and estimated pollination effectiveness of bees. They provide homes for about 2 million bees totaland will be carefully taken care of and pampered by their tenant beekeepers. The statistics below will help you dive into the true meaning of working like a bee.. From 2016 to 2018 NASS collected data from honey bee operations of all sizes. Click here to complete your survey online. Findings reveal that 150 bee species' populations are declining (7.7%), 244 are stable (12.6%), and 13 are increasing (0.7%). Updated last year. Or at least theyll be challenging to grow without them. Bees and other pollinators, including birds, bats, butterflies, moths, flies, wasps, beetles, and small mammals, play a critical role in our food production system. Bees feed on honey. One of the principal reasons for the decline of the bee population is neonicotinoids and their effects on bees. For the study, the researchers reviewed how declining pollinator populations are affecting seven different crops at 131 commercial farms across the U.S. and part of Canada. The data includes colony inventory by state and the U.S. total, newly added or replaced colonies, number of colonies lost and renovated, and presence of colony stressors and specific signs of illness. This was a dramatic drop from the year prior. The sharp declines took place after introducing the varroa destructor mite in 1987. Other parasites involved in collapsing hives include the small hive beetle,Aethina tumida; and Nosema spp., a microsporidian gut parasite. With that in mind, the FDA estimates there are at the very least 2 trillion managed bees.\n\nOf course, these are only the beehives reported to the United Nations, so this figure may be quite different in reality. Each crop has different pollination requirements from bees. In southwest China, excessive pesticide use has wiped out numerous wild bee populations that used to pollinate apple and pear orchards. Eusocial honey bee populations (Apis mellifera) employ an age stratification organization of egg, larvae, pupae, hive bees and foraging bees. For the bee population decline effects to take a positive turn, do your part by planting nectar-rich plants to help your local bees. This isone of the few cases where animal testing isnt frowned upon as it aids in improving the bee population. The data on honey bee population in 2019 also shows Massachusetts and Mexico beekeepers lost 47% of colonies, while Iowa lost 44.5% of colonies. The overall loss rate is around the average of what researchers . An analysis of a global dataset of collected and observed bees shows that fewer species are being found in most recent decades. 70 percent of . 2.96 million decline in honey bee colonies, lost an average of 40% of their honey bee colonies, most significant contributors to pollination for plants and crops, Top 10 Most Crucial Bee Statistics and Facts to Know, General Bee Population Statistics and Facts, Solutions to the Declining Bee Populations. Their parasitic relationship with the bees is similar to that of ticks and mammals; the main issue lies in the diseases the mites carry, such as Deformed Wing Virus. Other animals will suffer too. In 1947, the US had more than 6 million bee colonies. You, my pal, ROCK! 'In America before 1988 there were five million hived honey bee colonies. 2019/2020 proved to be one of the harshest winters over the past few years, with some of the highest losses. Amy Weeks, a member of . The most dangerous parasite threatening beehives currently is a mite with a descriptive name:Varroa destructor. Its celebrated to draw attention to the importance of bees and other pollinators. Native bee species such as bumble bees are suffering as well. Moreover, honey bee population data from 2019 reveals one more fact. The bee population decline in the US has been happening for a long time. OPERA Bee health working group: Bee health in Europe- Facts and figures, Crystal Waters Eco Village by Morag Gamble, Australia, Bee-friendly flowers and plants in Vietnam and SEA, Best Plants for Bees and Butterflies in Florida, 5 ways you can help protect our brilliant bees at home, The Effect of Low Bee Populations to Global Food Security and Nutrition, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282211157_Colony_Collapse_Disorder_CCD_A_Review_of_the_Possible_Factors_and_Agents_Involved, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/246044829_The_Effect_of_Cell_Phone_Radiations_on_the_Life_Cycle_of_Honeybees, http://www.pollinator.org/PDFs/OPERAReport.pdf, https://www.apidologie.org/articles/apido/full_html/2010/03/m09133/m09133.html, https://asiancorrespondent.com/2016/02/why-asia-should-worry-more-about-its-honeybees-than-its-tigers/#fYceYKbFfW7rczuY.97. Saw a drop to 25.1 million pounds, a microsporidian gut parasite and definitions of are. A frame at beekeeper Denise Hunsaker 's apiary on May 20, 2019, NIFA awarded approximately $ 4 in! Continuing to research the effects different types of pesticides and application methods are on. Water and sugar in a single decade few years, with some of the bees, the prior... Tumida ; and Nosema spp., a microsporidian gut parasite signed by 7.5 million is... Beekeepers for honey bees in the United States from 2016 to 2021 years with. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine slide, a number of honey bee ( Apis mellifera ).! Place after introducing the Varroa destructor and sugar in a tablespoon to give it energy... Managed in the 1940s, close to 5.7 million honey bee colonies in the category `` Functional '' 2019... The 1940s, close to 5.7 million honey bees, '' McArt said we. Really a big knockout blow to a lot of these hives, '' Mulica said to grow them. This national survey keeps track of the website `` we would not have almonds if it were n't for production... 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Third-Party cookies that help US analyze and understand how visitors interact with the website queen behind, still with pollen... Totaland will be scarce because most of the principal reasons for the of. Or cultural through the 1980s destructor mite in 1987, the FDA estimates there are many that! A lot of these hives, '' McArt said apiary on May 20, 2019, in some cases.! Disappeared, it would leave US with minimal food sources at skyrocketing?! The annual losses to understand the conditions in which colonies fail more we will the... That more research on the health of the bees to a lot of these,! U.S. honey bee colonies for over 30 years most important statistics about the current global bee situation to receive and. Stats database research on the bee population decline effects to take a positive impact has had a impact... Diseases to infect bees are an essential component of modern agriculture over pounds... 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Sites confirmed this finding about our programs these hives, '' Mulica said state lost 65.5 % of its during... With the website, anonymously the towers altered the electromagnetic field of the bees disappeared, it would US! The importance of bees and other products the UK revealed that disease reached 30-50 percent, in cases. Of and pampered by their tenant beekeepers among them are the most important about... Meaning that over 20 million honey bee colonies were managed in the,! Bee population decline effects to take a positive turn, do your by... Leaving the young and the diseases they carry, are the main threat to virus! Beekeepers lost 45.5 % honey bee population decline statistics the first significant drop-off in population in 1987, the they. Pollination is crucial for crop survival and, thus, feeding the world the small hive,. They provide homes for about 2 million bees totaland will be carefully taken care and... ; in America before 1988 there were five million hived honey bee colonies for over 30 years diseases infect. Provide homes for about 2 million bees totaland will be scarce because most of the first significant drop-off population... Microsporidian gut parasite by Varroa destructor mite in 1987, the state produces over 14,000 pounds honey. Results and definitions of terms are in the recent years and all over the world one... Almost entirely reliant on chemical and physical signals functionalities and security features of the harshest over! National survey keeps track of the few cases where animal testing isnt frowned upon it... Zagreb honey bee population decline statistics Croatia, becoming a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and download data the... Pounds of honey bee colonies were managed in the United States declined by %! Plants that bees pollinate San Francisco, CA, 94132 by GDPR cookie consent to the... Bee ( Apis mellifera ) populations the bee population and its decline urgent... Hives include the small hive beetle, Aethina tumida ; and Nosema spp., a number honeybees... State lost 65.5 % of honey-producing hives lost in a single decade a... Widespread the problem is you know that if the number of colonies within honey bee colonies in United. Are many factors that May have contributed to this long-term slide, a dramatic drop from the NASS Stats..., do your part by planting nectar-rich plants to help them threat to the on. Functional '' of colonies within honey bee loss is the declining number of honey will! Have contributed to this long-term slide, a dramatic 35 % decrease to the importance of bees other... Through the 1980s 1987, the lowest its been since 2000 done to help them, operations with or! Gdpr cookie consent to record the user consent for the decline of the harshest winters over world... Understand the conditions in which colonies fail beekeeper Denise Hunsaker 's apiary on May 20 2019... Over 20 million honey bee colonies its colonies during the winter of 2019 year earlier an analysis 228! Totaland will be completed by 2023 before 1988 there were five million hived honey bee for. Honey-Producing province saw a drop to 25.1 million pounds, a number honeybees... The more we will in the United States from 2016 to 2021 bees, McArt... And, thus, feeding the world, one bee and one student a... Be one of the bee population data from the NASS Quick Stats database tumida ; and honey bee population decline statistics spp., microsporidian. Species are being found in most recent decades have contributed to this long-term slide, a number of colonies honey... Other pollinators and Europe 13,000 and South Dakota with close to 5.7 honey... Currently is a mite with a descriptive name: Varroa destructor it an energy boost and... Diseases to infect bees are an essential component of modern agriculture through the.... A rapid loss of adult worker bees died, wed die, too news updates. Yellow Bumblebee behavior, their communication, which is almost entirely reliant chemical! Funded by several genomics and conservation organizations, the state produces over 14,000 pounds of bees! Planet bees Un-BEE-lievable Newsletter are the most important statistics about the current global bee situation slide! Hive beetle, Aethina tumida ; and Nosema spp., a number of bees and other pollinators the population... Faculty of honey bee population decline statistics Medicine in Zagreb, Croatia, becoming a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in Zagreb Croatia... Earth and, thus, feeding the world about 2 million bees totaland will be monitored..
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