What is still in question is the roots of the bee population problem. Entomologists are currently studying the reasons behind the enormous bee die-off happening worldwide. ","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Technically, humans can survive without beesthere are other ways to pollinate crops aside from bees. Utah beekeepers lost 49.1% of their colonies over the winter of 2019. Honey bee pollination increases crop production and quality for a wide variety of foods, including fruits, nuts, vegetables, legumes, oilseeds, and forage crops. CAUSES OF HONEY BEE POPULATION DECLINE. Through 2008, bee disease and elevated overwinter losses contributed to declining colony counts. Currently, there are no more than 2,5 million. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. . rapid decline of the honey bee population, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. : As forests are cleared for agricultural production and bees are exposed to pesticides, beekeepers have reported a decline in bee numbers. (FAO) Studies show that out of all the bee species' populations, 7.7% are declining, 12.6% are stable, and 0.7% are increasing; but for the majority (79%), this data remains unknown. Beekeepers started reporting significant losses in hives beginning in 2006. Source: iStock. . A lock ( LockA locked padlock ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Official websites use .gov It has been reported that three beehives were taken from Giant, which also . Urbanization, the excessive use of pesticides, and simply overlooking their importance all impact these little buggers health. Not only that, but 5% of Europes bee species are near threatened. The added revenue to crop production from pollinators is valued at $18 billion. There are over 20,000 bee species worldwide, and the majority are wild. However, dont leave sugar water outside of your home, hoping to save the bees as this has a long-term adverse effect on the bee colony. Researchers found an alternative solution in a fungicide that suppresses it by 40%. Its honey production has more than doubled over the last 40 years. Required fields are marked *. In Europe, researchers reported the loss of approximately 30% to 50% of honey bee colonies, depending on the country11https://www.researchgate.net/publication/246044829_The_Effect_of_Cell_Phone_Radiations_on_the_Life_Cycle_of_Honeybees. These mites still pose the greatest risk for bee colonies, causing significant damage and high death rates throughout the year. The states that experienced the lowest portion of losses were Indiana and South Carolina, with an 11.8% loss, and Nebraska, with a 13.6% loss. In 2006, the honeybee population faced a grave crisis in the U.S. Honeybees are shown on a frame at beekeeper Denise Hunsaker's apiary on May 20, 2019, in Salt Lake City. The USDAs bee population chart shows this was the case throughout 2018, with April through June seeing the most significant portion of colonies affected by varroa mites (56.4%). If all the bees died, we'd die, too. It provides them with nourishment. Four out of the five principal honey bee species live in India, reflecting a relatively healthy biodiversity. The widespread use of various pesticides is one of the biggest culprits in the dramatic decline of wild and managed bees. The world did little to manage the population decline until recently. Today these areas require labor-intensive pollination by hand, using paintbrushes, a practice only viable for more profitable crops15https://asiancorrespondent.com/2016/02/why-asia-should-worry-more-about-its-honeybees-than-its-tigers/#fYceYKbFfW7rczuY.97. In the current chemical-intensive agriculture system, scientists are increasingly convinced that some insecticides are cause for negative effects on the health of pollinators. Those countries report honey bee losses of about 30-50 % every year13https://www.apidologie.org/articles/apido/full_html/2010/03/m09133/m09133.html. There are many ways you can help the bee population increase. Incidental exposure to pesticides, pest and other diseases within the hive are also affecting the decrease of the population, Mulica said. In the 1940s, there were about 5.7 million managed bee colonies in the US, which dropped dramatically to 2.74 million in 2015. If you would like to reach our Executive Director, Debra Tomaszewski, please email her at debra@planetbee.org or call (415) 235-8959, If you would like to reach our Programs Manager, please email them at haley@planetbee.org or call (503) 949-4329. . Then a couple of years back, after a casual read about farm animals on the internet (yea, he does that), he realized that many of the articles are either false or misleading. Comment. The largest contributor to the decline of bee health is the varroa mite, a parasite that invades hives and and spreads diseases, McArt said. Email: askusda@usda.gov 2.96 million decline in honey bee colonies, lost an average of 40% of their honey bee colonies, most significant contributors to pollination for plants and crops, Top 10 Most Crucial Bee Statistics and Facts to Know, General Bee Population Statistics and Facts, Solutions to the Declining Bee Populations. Between April 2020 and April 2021 beekeepers lost 45.5% of their honey bee colonies. Worse, this was the lowest honey production for Canada in seven years. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Apple pollination begins on the Northeast in June, and the last pollination event typically occurs in Maine in late June and early July for lowbush blueberries, McArt said. ","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Essentially yes. Globally, pollinators are in decline. All while finding the sources and causes of the issues they become aware of. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. "The main take-home from this is these are unsustainably high losses," McArt said, adding that researchers are not necessarily alarmed at the numbers because they've become "a little bit accustomed to these large loss rates.". In the U.S., winter losses have commonly reached 30-50 percent, in some cases more. New Hampshire beekeepers also lost almost half of their colonies47.7%. The survey now includes new questions on the basic economics of beekeeping beyond honey production. Over the last decade, the United Kingdom alone saw a significant disappearance of its bee population. If you find a tired, dying bee, mix water and sugar in a tablespoon to give it an energy boost. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. The new data comes from a paper published in the journal The Royal Society on Wednesday, July 29. Research on the possible causes of honey bee population decline is currently ongoing, and there has been progress! Although this seems impressivewith each of the hives having between 10,000 and 60,000 bees in them, the numbers drop dramatically. There are several reasons, both known and unknown, leading to such drastic bee deaths. NASS conducted the Cost of Pollination survey in 2016 and 2017 to track the cash fees associated with honey bee pollination. They are also trying to figure out which pesticides could potentially be replaced with chemicals that are more bee-friendly, and what changes can be made to habitats to encourage more bees, such as planting wildflowers instead of green grass in the front yard and encouraging homeowners to mow their lawns less often, McArt said. Winter Wheat Seedings up for 2023, 12/13/22 NASS to publish milk production data in updated data dissemination format, 11/28/22 USDA-NASS Crop Progress report delayed until Nov. 29, 10/28/22 NASS reinstates Cost of Pollination survey, 09/06/22 NASS to review acreage information, 09/01/22 USDA NASS reschedules 2021 Conservation Practice Adoption Motivations data highlights release, 05/06/22 Respond Now to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, 08/05/20 The NASS Mission: We do it for you, 04/11/19 2017 Census of Agriculture Highlight Series Farms and Land in Farms, 04/11/19 2017 Census of Agriculture Highlight Series Economics, 04/11/19 2017 Census of Agriculture Highlight Series Demographics, 02/08/23 Crop Production (February 2023), 01/31/23 Cattle & Sheep and Goats (January 2023), 12/23/22 Quarterly Hogs and Pigs (December 2022), 12/15/22 2021 Certified Organics (December 2022), Talking About NASS - A guide for partners and stakeholders, USDA and NASS Anti-Harassment Policy Statement, REE Reasonable Accommodations and Personal Assistance Services, Safeguarding America's Agricultural Statistics Report and Video, Agriculture Counts - The Founding and Evolution of the National Agricultural Statistics Service 1957-2007, Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time Monday - Friday, except federal holidays Toll-Free: (800) 727-9540, Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time Monday - Friday, except federal holidays Toll-Free: (833) One-USDA In 2006, David Hackenberg a bee keeper for 42 years reported a 90 percent die-off among his 3,000 hives. A single bee colony can pollinate 300 million flowers in a day. Sadly, Indias Apis dorsata numbers have dropped by 20 percent in just 10 years. As many as 50 percent of all affected colonies demonstrated symptoms inconsistent with any known causes of honey bee death: Sudden loss of a colony's worker bee population with very few dead bees found near the colony. ","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"If you find a tired, dying bee, mix water and sugar in a tablespoon to give it an energy boost. U.S. National Agricultural Statistics show a honey bee decline from about 6 million hives in 1947 to 2.4 million hives in 2008, a 60 percent reduction. The total annual value of U.S. honey bee products and services sold is approximately $700 million. A healthy pollinator population is vital to producing marketable commodities. 728. The meat will be scarce because most of the animals we eat highly depend on the plants that bees pollinate. Technically, humans can survive without beesthere are other ways to pollinate crops aside from bees. Get in touch with us now. Want to receive reports automatically? What a perfect website. Therefore, he decided to make it his personal goal to offer only verified and up-to-date information to all pet parents. Officials estimate about 2.5 million bees have died because beekeepers were in lockdown and unable to feed them. Although effective in killing insects harmful to the crops, they are also deadly to bees. It suggested that radiation from the towers altered the electromagnetic field of the earth and, in turn, the bees homing ability. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Although 2018 is slightly higher, it isnt above average. There are millions of honey bee colonies in North America, 2.8 million of which are in the U.S. Approximating around 30,000 bees per colony (the size of a pollination unit), that's roughly a . During the winter of 2006-2007, some beekeepers began to report unusually high losses of 30-90 percent of their hives. China is the leading importer covering 40% of all the EUs honey imports, while Ukraine covers 20%. Fortunately, people have realized their mistakes and are taking measures to find and implement solutions. In fact, the European Union isnt 100% self-sufficient in its honey (60%). Honey bees around the globe are in trouble. An official website of the United States government. This is reflected in the fact that Kenya, which once had a rich supply of indigenous honey, is now a honey importer.16. One of the organization's longest running programs, the national Colony Loss and Management Survey, was initiated with the support of the Apiary . Or at least theyll be challenging to grow without them. There are around 100 commercial enterprises breeding bees worldwide. Meanwhile Jennifer Sass of the Natural . Planet Bee Foundation,3035 25th Ave San Francisco, CA, 94132. Currently, theres been a significant bumblebee decline in all of Europe, with, 24% of bumblebees being threatened with extinction. Between 1947 and 2008, the number of honeybees in the United States declined by 61%, from 5.9 million to 2.3 million. Dont let the current bee statistics determine their (and our) future. Honey bee population data from 2012 to 2017 from the US Department of Agriculture. Bees feed on honey. Europe also counts about 2,000 wild species. The remaining top five states in bee losses were Louisiana with a 32.8% loss, Iowa with a 61.8% loss, Illinois with a 54.6% loss, and Delaware with a 46.8% loss. Between the years 2006 and 2016, Australia lost over 100 thousand commercial Honeybee hives. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Bees and other pollinators, including birds, bats, butterflies, moths, flies, wasps, beetles, and small mammals, play a critical role in our food production system. Our IRS Tax ID is 46-3712011. Not only that, but 5% of Europe's bee species are near threatened. During this time additional data were collected from operations with fewer than five colonies. By Elizabeth Grossman April 30, 2013. Aside from producing honey, thecurrent bee population is crucial to supporting our food supply by pollinating crops, fruits, and grains. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS Thats very sweet, thanks! While both statements highlight historical data . During peak flowering season, 18-wheelers transport millions of colonies to aid farmers with crop pollination. "This will become one of the largest honeybee health networks in the country," said Boris Baer, a professor of entomology at UC Riverside and principal investigator . According to Dr Veenstra, one of the main reasons for the decline is the varroa mite (a parasite that attacks honey bees). and habitat destruction are a few of the causes researchers associate with honey bee population decline. One in three bites of food that we eat is derived from plants pollinated by bees (Allen-Wardell et al, 1998). As his love for his job grew, he finally decided to start a personal business, opening a veterinary supplies shop, which carried products from pet/animal care and medicine to food and toys. More than 100 U.S. grown crops rely on pollinators. Germans have the answer on how to increase the bee population. These U.S. crops are produced with the help of 2.6 million colonies transported by 18-wheelers from place to place during peak flowering, McArt said. About 60% of all managed colonies start a long cross-country trip in February. The cost of colony rentals has not yet affected consumer prices for almonds, Williams said, but those costs could "eventually trickle down.". Turn, the United States declined by 61 %, from 5.9 million to 2.3 million percent...: { `` @ type '': { `` @ type '': '' Essentially.... 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Millions of colonies to aid farmers with crop pollination new questions on the of... Their hives alternative solution in a fungicide that suppresses it by 40 % of bumblebees being with... You find a tired, dying bee, mix water and sugar in a day.gov... Report unusually high losses of about 30-50 % every year13https: //www.apidologie.org/articles/apido/full_html/2010/03/m09133/m09133.html isnt %! Locked padlock ) or https: // means youve safely connected to the.gov.... Last 40 years colonies start a long cross-country trip in February been progress the are! Sell or Share My Personal information this cookie is set by GDPR cookie Consent plugin pose the greatest risk bee. Of honeybees in the U.S., winter losses have commonly reached 30-50 percent, in turn, European! These mites still pose the greatest risk for bee colonies for agricultural production honey bee population decline statistics bees exposed!
