Beekeepers Struggle to Maintain Colonies as Nearly Half of US Honeybees Died Last Year

Annual surveys show honeybee colonies declined at a rate of 45% from April 2020 to April 2021, marking some of the largest losses on record.
Despite the losses, beekeepers were able to stabilize the overall population through the arduous process of creating new colonies, though at a high cost.
Honeybees are vital pollinators for many agricultural crops, so their rapid decline poses a threat to food production and security.
A combination of factors like parasites, pesticides, lack of food, and climate change are driving honeybee deaths.
As the demand for commercial pollination grows, beekeepers face increasing pressure to maintain colony levels, even with rising mortality rates.