Beekeepers across the country are sounding the alarm as honeybee populations are dwindling at an unprecedented rate, a trend that could affect Americans' wallets at the grocery store. Honeybees are the backbone of the food ecosystem, pollinating 75% of the world's natural supplies, but a recent nationwide survey by Project Apis found catastrophic honeybee declines across the industry. Commercial operators reported an average loss of 62% from June to February nationwide.
These alarming losses could significantly impact U.S. agriculture, particularly crop pollination for almonds, fruits, vegetables, and other essential food sources. There are many contributing factors that can cause a colony to die, including pathogens; varroa mites, a parasite that feeds on bees; and a lack of nutrition. Bees are responsible for $17 billion in agricultural production in the United States every year. A loss of pollinators would result in food prices going up. Bees are the only insects that produce food for human consumption.
-NAFB