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USDA studies honey bee health and economics

 

A new report from USDA finds the number of honey bee colonies have remained stable despite an increase in winter losses over the past decade.

The Economic Research Service’s report says annual winter losses of managed honey bee colonies have doubled since 2006. However, there’s no negative correlation to the annual number of colonies in the U.S.

The USDA attributes colony losses to loss of forage, insecticide exposure, and stress factors like diseases and parasites.

The USDA says some of the ways beekeepers maintain their colonies include buying new fertilized queens or splitting colonies.

Pollination service fees have doubled in the last 30 years and revenue has become comparable to income from honey production.

The report also found pollinator service fees for almonds and plums have seen the largest increases when compared to other crops. Up to 70 percent of all commercial honey bee colonies in the U.S. are shipped to California in February for the almond pollination season.