"Recent research has pointed to the parasitic varroa mite, which appears to be increasingly resistant to the chemicals used to control it, allowing the pest to spread viruses by attaching itself to worker bees. Mateo Kaiser, Swarmed's managing director, said: We saw a very warm winter in the west this year and this is having an impact on bees. They are waking up earlier and in many parts of California, they are buil"
The 2026 honeybee swarm season in North America has started 17 days earlier than the previous year after record-breaking US heatwaves. Beekeepers are adapting to a rapidly shifting season while assessing how honeybees respond to climate change. Swarmed, a network of more than 10,000 beekeepers focused on safe and ethical relocation, reports that the early swarming follows several years of record colony declines worldwide. Swarming is a natural reproduction process triggered by overcrowding, where a colony splits as the queen leaves with about half the workers and the remaining bees rear a new queen. Honeybee populations can outcompete wild bees for nectar and pollen, increasing pressure on already declining wild species. The early start follows the largest recorded US honeybee die-off, with beekeepers reporting losses of more than 60% of colonies last year, affecting crop pollination valued at about $15 million in added crop value. Varroa mites are increasingly resistant to control chemicals and spread viruses by attaching to worker bees.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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