A nationwide survey of beekeepers has revealed catastrophic honeybee colony losses across the U.S. Commercial operations report an average loss of 62 percent of their populations between June 2024 and February 2025.
These alarming losses currently surpass historical trends. This could significantly impact U.S. agriculture, particularly crop pollination for almonds, fruits, vegetables, and other essential food sources.
“Early reports of severe colony losses began pouring in last month from beekeepers across the country,” said Danielle Downey, executive director of Project Apis m. “Our group and others have come together to quickly launch this survey to find out the scope and severity of the losses, gather critical management data, and help guide research efforts to determine potential causes.”
Zac Browning, a fourth-generation commercial beekeeper, says, “Honeybees are the backbone of our food system, pollinating crops that feed our nation. Continued losses mean we won’t sustain our current level of food production.”