Beekeepers Report Record Honeybee Colony Losses in 2025

Commercial beekeepers in the United States reported losing nearly 56 percent of their honeybee colonies last year. U.S. beekeeping survey started in 2010.

Beekeepers identified habitat loss, exposure to pesticides, and the Varroa mite as primary causes. The mite arrived in the United States from Asia in the 1980s. Climate variability also affected colony survival, with dry springs reducing nectar production and cold snaps disrupting seasonal progress.

Mateo Kaiser, a fifth-generation beekeeper and managing director of Swarmed, said the concern is that colonies may not recover at previous rates. He noted that bees serve as indicators of local environmental conditions through their exposure to various substances during pollination.

The word "bee" has retained its core meaning across centuries of recorded language. com, stated that the term's origin remains unclear because the insect has existed for millions of years. He added that related words such as "beowulf," used by some poets to describe bears, illustrate long-standing human observation of the species.

Bees pollinate hundreds of nut, fruit, and vegetable crops. Kendal Sager, a California master beekeeper, said the insects' work supports food production regardless of direct human preference for the species. World Bee Day, established by the United Nations in 2018, marks an annual effort to highlight these contributions.