According to a recent survey by Project Apis m, U.S. commercial beekeepers experienced unprecedented losses, with 62% of colonies affected from June 2024 to February 2025. This alarming trend saw over 1 million colonies lost; this accounts for 41% of the nation's total honey bee populations. The survey, which compiled responses from 702 beekeepers, displayed a significant increase in colony loss, prompting a collective response from scientists seeking answers. Preliminary studies have yet to determine a cause, raising concerns about future colony survival and agricultural impacts.
“We moved quickly to gather information,” said Danielle Downey, executive director of Project Apis m. “We don't really know what's going on, and a catastrophic loss could happen again.”
“We believe this to be an underestimate of these losses,” Downey said.
Those losses account for 41% of total colonies in the U.S., Downey said during a YouTube livestream on Feb. 28 that covered survey results.
Preliminary sampling of live and dead bees has failed to show a cause, and a team of at least 16 scientists from universities and the USDA are looking for answers.
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